Political Science Study Guide: Congress and Fiscal Policy
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36 Terms
Q: What is the total number of members in the United States Senate?
A: 100 senators.
Q: How many senators are elected from each state?
A: Two per state.
Q: What is the minimum age requirement to serve in the Senate?
A: 30 years old.
Q: What is the term for individuals already holding office who are running for re-election?
A: Incumbents.
Q: What is the single most important advantage for someone trying to get elected to Congress?
A: Being an incumbent.
Q: How frequently are seats in the House of Representatives up for election?
A: Every two years.
Q: How frequently is a Senate seat up for election?
A: Every six years (one-third of the Senate elected every two years).
Q: What is the term for a legislature divided into two houses?
A: Bicameral legislature.
Q: According to the Constitution, in which chamber must all revenue bills originate?
A: The House of Representatives.
Q: Which chamber has the exclusive power to confirm Supreme Court nominees?
A: The Senate.
Q: Once a federal official is impeached by the House, where are they tried?
A: In the Senate.
Q: What action occurs in the House after each federal census?
A: Reapportionment/redistricting.
Q: Define casework and pork barrel.
A:
Casework: Helping individual constituents with problems related to federal agencies.
Pork barrel: Securing federal money or projects for a member’s district.
Q: Which House committee acts as a “traffic cop” for most bills?
A: The House Rules Committee.
Q: In which chamber is the filibuster unique, and what is its purpose?
A: The Senate; used to delay or block legislation.
Q: How many members are needed to invoke cloture and end a filibuster?
A: 60 senators.
Q: Name two primary roles of the Speaker of the House.
A: Presides over the House; sets the agenda; appoints committee members; leads the majority party. (Any two)
Q: Who is generally considered the most powerful person in the Senate?
A: The Senate Majority Leader.
Q: What is the function of whips in Congress?
A: To gather votes, enforce party discipline, and communicate between leadership and members.
Q: Where does most detailed work of Congress take place?
A: In committees and subcommittees.
Q: What happens when the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill?
A: A conference committee resolves the differences.
Q: What is the final step in Congress’s lawmaking function that makes it central to democracy?
A: Voting on and passing the final bill.
Q: What is the term for a committee appointed for a limited, specific purpose?
A: A select committee.
Q: Which group has used its power to draw congressional districts, sometimes leading to gerrymandering?
A: State legislatures.
Q: Define a budget in federal fiscal policy.
A: A plan for federal spending and revenues for the upcoming year.
Q: What is the term for excess federal expenditures over federal revenues?
A: A deficit.
Q: Define the federal debt.
A: The total accumulation of past deficits—money the government owes.
Q: What is the largest social policy program providing basic income for the elderly?
A: Social Security.
Q: Which federal program provides health care coverage to the elderly?
A: Medicare.
Q: What term describes policies obligating Congress to pay certain benefits to a set number of recipients?
A: Entitlements.
Q: What is the biggest uncontrollable expenditure in the federal budget?
A: Social Security (entitlement spending).
Q: What is the main purpose of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)?
A: To provide nonpartisan economic analysis and budget projections for Congress.
Q: Which federal agency was created to collect the federal income tax?
A: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Q: Who pays the taxes that fund Social Security?
A: Current workers and employers through payroll taxes.
Q: What is the principal method the government uses to borrow money?
A: Selling U.S. Treasury securities (bonds, notes, bills).
Q: Which executive office helps the President develop and implement the federal budget?
A: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Note 
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