Roles of Congress Members

Use the photo to select the answer that best completes the sentence below. Members of Congress wear many different hats and play many roles during the course of their work. An important role while spending time in their home districts is that of

• legislator.

• federal employees.

• committee member.

• constituent servant.

Use the chart to choose the answer that BEST completes the sentence. Representation in Congress is closest to the general population in terms of

• education

• ethnicity

• gender

• profession

What does this political cartoon suggest about congressional elections in the United States?

• Candidates are required to give consideration to both sides of issues.

• Candidates mostly tell the public whatever they think constituents want to hear.

• Voters make it impossible for candidates to make up their minds on important issues.

• Voters unfairly force candidates to take a stand on issues they might not be ready to address.

If representatives in the House wish to adjourn a session for more than three days, they must seek approval from

• the judicial branch.

• the executive branch.

• members of the Senate.

• their constituents.

Read this quotation from the Constitution. “The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.” —Article I, Section 2, Clause 1. This quotation relates to

• the apportionment in the House.

• the length of a session in Congress.

• the length of service for a representative.

• the establishment of the Electoral College.

Use this map of congressional seats across the United States in 2010 to answer the question. What does this map suggest about regional population change?

• The Midwest has experienced little change in population.

• The North, both west and east, has experienced a dramatic rise in population.

• The Southeast has experienced a slight decline in population.

• The South, both west and east, has experienced a slight rise in population.

Use the quotation to answer the question. “The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to [choose] three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.” —Article I, Section 2, Clause 3. The number of seats later became redistributed automatically by

• the Supreme Court’s decision in the Wesberry v. Sanders case.

• the Supreme Court’s decision in the Powell v. McCormack case.

• the passage of the Reapportionment Act of 1929.

• the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913.

Read this excerpt from the text. “. . . several States used the general ticket system. Under that arrangement, all of the State’s seats were filled at-large—that is, elected from the State as a whole, rather than from particular districts. Every voter could vote for a candidate for each one of the State’s seats in the House.” What is one possible ramification of this system to elect representatives?

• It could result in gerrymandering, which creates districts with very odd shapes.

• It could result in the House becoming too large, which would make it unwieldy and ineffective.

• A party with even a small majority could control all of the State’s seats in the House.

• A minority party could have greater control over House seats than the party in the majority.

Read this quotation from the Constitution. “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; . . .” —Article I, Section 8. This section of the Constitution falls under expressed powers related to

• the subject of bankruptcy.

• territories and other areas.

• trade and borrowing.

• the role of Congress in foreign policy.

The BEST way to understand the expressed powers of Congress is to

• study the ways Congress has exercised its powers.

• study statements made by the executive branch.

• read a description of the powers in the Constitution.

• read about the powers that other sovereign nations have.