2023 AP Government Unit 2 Multiple Choice Test Questions

The Department of Transportation can write stronger regulations on freight volume.

Which of the following explains how the bureaucracy can address a problem shown in the infographic?

Congress could have members of the Department of Transportation testify before a committee to discuss the issue and potential solutions.

Which of the following possible actions illustrates a way Congress interacts with the bureaucracy to address the problem shown in the infographic?

usually have a continuity of service in the executive branch that the President lacks

An advantage that bureaucrats in federal government have over the President in the policymaking process is that bureaucrats

The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in

The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in

To serve as the highest court of appeals

Which of the following best reflects a function of the Supreme Court in Article III of the Constitution?

Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.

Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.

Opened the door to Equal Protection Clause challenges to redistricting by deciding that such cases could be reviewed by federal courts.

Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.

The size of the previous year's budget

Opened the door to Equal Protection Clause challenges to redistricting by deciding that such cases could be reviewed by federal courts.

Conference

When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee?

state legislatures

The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by

Congress passes a budget for the entire federal government, including defense, but it must consider the president's proposal because the president may veto the bill.

On February 9, 2016, President Barack Obama released his budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year. Facing a Republican Congress, many declared the plan "dead on arrival." Among the cited issues was Obama's request for $582.7 billion in discretionary spending for defense, which many Republicans believed was not enough. Which of the following most accurately explains the interaction between the president and the Congress regarding the defense budget?

Which of the following situations is an example of the president using the bully pulpit as a tool for agenda setting?

Which of the following situations is an example of the president using the bully pulpit as a tool for agenda setting?

ability to set specific guidelines after receiving a general mandate from Congress

A fundamental source of power for the federal bureaucracy lies in its

bureaucratic implementation of law

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service will spend money appropriated by Congress to maintain wildlife refuges. This action is an example of

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writing a regulation to support a clean water bill

Which of the following is an example of bureaucratic rulemaking?

The Department of Veterans Affairs rewrites its regulations regarding compensation and pensions into plain language that is easier for beneficiaries to understand.

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the process of bureaucratic?

The President can dismiss cabinet officers, but not commissioners of independent regulatory agencies.

Cabinet departments differ from independent regulatory agencies in which of the following ways?

presidential goals often conflict with the institutional goals of individual cabinet-level agencies

Cabinet members often do not have a dominant influence on presidential decision-making because

Cabinet secretaries may develop strong loyalty to their departments.

Which of the following best explains why cabinet secretaries might not aggressively pursue the president's policy agenda?

Presidents can have an influence on public policy far beyond their terms of office.

Which of the following best illustrates the point being made in the cartoon above?

The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.

Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?

The ideological composition of the justices on the Supreme Court shifted to become less liberal over time.

Which of the following factors most likely led to shifts in Supreme Court decision making over time?

The percentage of liberal decisions made by the Supreme Court on civil rights and civil liberties cases decreased between 1964 and 1996.

Based on the data in the chart, which of the following is true?

Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.

Which of the following is true according to the diagram?

The voters can oust federal judges in national elections.

All of the following serve as checks on the power of the federal courts EXCEPT:

A

Check on Legislative Branch: The president may veto bills passed by Congress.

Check on Executive Branch: The Senate must confirm judicial nominees.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of checks on the legislative branch and checks on the executive branch?

a member of the majority party in the chamber

A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always

the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor

The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because

C

Formal Power: Acting as commander in chief of the military

Informal Power: Signing executive agreements with foreign nations

Which of the following accurately compares the formal and informal powers of the president?

House of Representatives: The Constitution’s framers intended it to reflect the will of the people.

Senate: The Constitution’s framers designed it to represent the interests of the states.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?

House of Representatives: Debate is limited.

Senate: Members can filibuster.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the rules for debate used by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?

House of Representatives: Debate on bills is limited

Senate: Debate on bills can be unlimited

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?

Committees are organized by the majority party to maintain control of the policy-making process.

Which of the following accurately describes the composition of congressional committees?

a conference committee for review and compromise

If legislation passes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate but each version is slightly different, the conflicting bills are sent to

reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

The role of a conference committee in Congress is to

conference committee

The committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill is called a

Confirming ambassadors

Which of the following is an example of a power exclusively granted to the Senate in Article II of the Constitution?

limit the president's authority to commit troops overseas

Congress adopted the War Powers Resolution to

Congress can pass legislation that influences the federal salary structure.

Which of the following explains an action Congress can take that would have the most influence on the data on the graphs?

Through the role of chief executive officer of the executive branch, the president can determine salary grades of federal employees.

Which of the following best describes how a president can influence the data in the graphs?

Congress: Holding a committee hearing

President: Appointing a Cabinet

Which of the following pairs accurately identifies the methods used by Congress and the president to hold the bureaucracy accountable to the other branches?

in the area of foreign policy

In general, Congress is most likely to defer to the President

Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector

Which of the following is an example of Congress using its implied powers?

Which of the following is a way Congress can influence the federal judiciary?

Which of the following is a way Congress can influence the federal judiciary?

1977

In which year did Congress pass all stand-alone appropriations (spending) bills on time?

From 2011 to 2016, no stand-alone appropriations bills were passed on time.

Which of the following statements is true based on the bar graph?

Congress

Which of the following is empowered to create new federal courts and specify the number of judges who will sit on them?

Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the President.

In which of the following scenarios would a presidential veto most likely be upheld?

A decrease in congressional oversight as a mechanism to control the bureaucracy

Which of the following is most likely an effect of the trend in the line graph?

Reviewing the annual budget appropriations for the agency

Congress has exerted the greats influence on the operation of a federal agency by doing which of the following?

pardoning felons

Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT

exercise some control over executive agencies

Congressional oversight refers to the power of Congress to

Holding hearings for review of an executive agency's activities

Which of the following is an example of congressional oversight?

authorization of spending

Holding hearings for review of an executive agency's activities

Controlling an executive agency's annual budget

Congress is most likely to exert oversight of the executive bureaucracy in which of the following ways?

The power to pass a federal budget

Which of the following enumerated powers would permit Congress to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed citizens?

Congress could enact legislation to amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

In 1998, Goodyear employee Lilly Ledbetter filed suit against her employer for pay discrimination based on her gender. Though Ledbetter was initially successful, Goodyear appealed the decision and the case went to the Supreme Court. In Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (2007), the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that sex discrimination complaints must be made within 180 days “after the alleged unlawful employment practice occurred,” which Ledbetter had failed to do. Which of the following actions could be taken to reverse the impact of the decision?

The more consistently liberal a person is, the more that person is likely to believe that the Supreme Court should base its rulings on what the Constitution means in current times.

Which of the following statements is an accurate interpretation of the data on the bar chart?

outlines a framework for government that the Supreme Court should apply strictly regardless of the political or personal preferences of judges

The data illustrate that most conservatives believe that the United States Constitution

The more consistently liberal a person is, the more that person is likely to believe that the Supreme Court should base its rulings on what the Constitution means in current times.

Which of the following statements is an accurate interpretation of the data on the bar chart?

They tend to be freer from presidential control than are cabinet departments.

Which of the following is true of independent regulatory agencies?

The courts

The framers of the Constitution designed which of the following to be LEAST responsive to public opinion?

The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.

A person claiming that the House can pass legislation with a simple majority, but the Senate is unlikely to pass legislation unless a bill has the support of a 60-vote supermajority is most likely to cite which of the following institutional differences as the cause of this trend?

It occurs when the President takes no action on a bill for ten days during which Congress is adjourned.

Which of the following is true about the pocket veto?

They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.

Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true?

The preferences of the majority of their constituents

Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following?

C

Delegate Model: A member of the House votes for a bill based on positive polling results about the bill in their district.

Trustee Model: A member of the House votes against a bill that is popular in their district because they believe it violates their own morals.

Which of the following most accurately depicts a member of Congress adhering to the delegate model of representation and a member of Congress adhering to the trustee model of representation in making a legislative decision?

Congress giving the Environmental Protection Agency the power to establish national pollution standards

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates delegated discretionary authority?

individual entitlements

Federal benefits that must be funded by Congress and must be paid to all citizens who meet eligibility criteria are called

They are appointed for life by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Which of the following is true of nominees for federal judgeships?

A President may veto part of a bill.

All of the following statements pertaining to the presidential veto are true EXCEPT:

Cuts off debate on a bill.

A "cloture motion" passed in the Senate does which of the following?

are personally loyal to the President

In selecting members of the White House staff, Presidents primarily seek people who

A subcommittee

The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings?

reviews previous court decisions

The difference between an appellate court and a district court is that an appellate court

The expansive interpretation of the commerce clause by the Supreme Court which greatly extended the power of Congress drew criticism that eventually led to a narrower interpretation.

In the case Wickard v. Filburn (1942), Roscoe Filburn was penalized for producing 12 acres of wheat above his allotment under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. The law, justified under Congress’ power to regulate interstate commerce, limited the amount of wheat an individual could grow. This regulation would keep prices from dropping and prevent farmers from going bankrupt. Filburn claimed that the excess wheat was for his own use, and challenged that no interstate commerce was involved. The Supreme Court ruled that the commerce clause allowed the government to regulate Filburn's personal wheat production, even though it was only indirectly related to interstate commerce.

Which of the following was a likely result of the decision in Wickard v. Filburn that contributed to the Court's later decision in United States v. Lopez (1995) ?

The President can only fire appointees before they have been confirmed by the Senate

All of the following help to explain the President's difficulty in controlling cabinet-level agencies EXCEPT.

The Department of Transportation will be given discretionary authority to create auto regulations.

Which of the following is likely to occur as a result of new legislation regarding automobile safety?

spending on national parks

An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is

Mandatory

Which of the following categories accounted for the majority of spending in 2017, according to the chart?

the meaning of the Constitution depends on the intention of the framers

The doctrine of original intent holds that

Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process.

Advocates of shifting the task of drawing United States House districts from state legislatures to independent commissions are likely to claim which of the following as an advantage of independent commissions?

increases in entitlement programs

Independent commissions significantly reduce the influence of partisan gerrymandering in the redistricting process.

Entitlement spending

The largest portion of "uncontrollable spending" in the federal budget is designated for which of the following?

an enumerated power

The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money.

This is an example of

Pocket veto

If Congress adjourns during the ten days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, but which the president has not yet signed, what is the result?

Pass legislation already passed by the House that would limit the impact of the Supreme Court's recent rulings

The majority party in the Senate is concerned that the Supreme Court has made a number of ideologically dangerous and controversial rulings. Which of the following actions could be taken by the Senate to limit the Supreme Court's power?

Which of the following is an example of congressional oversight?

Which of the following is an example of congressional oversight?

A member of Congress votes to close a popular tax loophole based on the belief that the money would be better spent paying down the national debt.

Which of the following scenarios is an example of the trustee model of representation?

independent agencies

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are examples of

Delegated discretionary authority

The mission of the Department of Transportation is to ensure the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. The Department of Transportation has accepted public comments regarding the safety of automated vehicles in the United States in order to establish standards and guidelines for this new technology. Which of the following concepts is most related to the scenario?

It does not require Senate approval, but may require congressional allocation of funds for implementation.

Which of the following is true of an executive agreement made between a United States President and another head of state?

modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority

Executive agreements have been cited as evidence that

Members of Congress could issue statements opposing the appointment but have no formal power to block it.

Shortly after the 2008 election, President Obama appointed outspoken and controversial House member Rahm Emanuel to lead his White House as chief of staff, the head of the Executive Office of the President. The selection drew criticism from Republican leaders, including House minority leader John Boehner, who remarked that the selection "is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center." Which of the following explains how Congress could legitimately respond to the appointment?

Which of the following is an example of the executive branch implementing a public policy passed by Congress?

Which of the following is an example of the executive branch implementing a public policy passed by Congress?

disagreement between congressional leaders and the president on the issue meant that a compromise on a bill was not likely

In 2012, after negotiations on a bill in Congress failed, President Obama issued an executive order that protected from deportation individuals illegally brought to the United States as children by their parents. The president took this action because

do not need to be passed by Congress

Since the 1970's, Presidents have made use of executive orders at an increasing rate because executive orders

Since the Supreme Court has no enforcement mechanism, the executive and legislative branches can restrict its decisions by delaying their implementation.

In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the United States Supreme Court ruled that a Georgia law violated the U.S. Constitution. In response to Chief Justice John Marshall's majority opinion, President Andrew Jackson said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." Which of the following ideas regarding government does President Jackson’s statement exhibit?

increasing presidential control over the legislative process

The expansion of the executive branch since 1939 has affected the separation of powers by

The United States has emerged as a global power, which has enhanced the power of the president in foreign affairs.

Which of the following explains why the author believes presidential power has expanded?