Congress | AQA A-Level Politics (7152)
Congress
- 56 questions
- 4 subtopics
- Paper 2: government and politics of the USA
- Paper 2
A bicameral legislature of two very different chambers, how a bill survives the committee stage, and the powers — money, confirmation, oversight, impeachment — Congress uses against the executive..
It covers the Composition of Congress, the Powers of Each Chamber, Leadership and Elections, how a Bill Passes Congress and the Power of the Purse, Oversight and Representation.
Sample questions from Congress
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The Composition of Congress
How many senators are there, and how are they allocated?
Show the answer
There are 100 senators, two for each state regardless of that state's population. -
The Composition of Congress
What are the age and citizenship requirements for each chamber?
Show the answer
A representative must be at least twenty-five and a citizen for seven years; a senator must be at least thirty and a citizen for nine years. -
The Powers of Each Chamber, Leadership and Elections
What is a filibuster?
Show the answer
It is the use of the Senate's tradition of unlimited debate to talk out or block a measure by refusing to yield the floor. -
The Powers of Each Chamber, Leadership and Elections
What is meant by the incumbency advantage in congressional elections?
Show the answer
Sitting members are re-elected at very high rates because of name recognition, casework, fundraising and, in the House, safe district boundaries. -
How a Bill Passes Congress
What is a conference committee for?
Show the answer
It reconciles differing House and Senate versions of the same bill so that a single identical text can be passed by both chambers. -
How a Bill Passes Congress
What are the four types of congressional committee?
Show the answer
Standing committees, select committees, joint committees and conference committees. -
The Power of the Purse, Oversight and Representation
How many presidents have been impeached, and how many removed?
Show the answer
Three presidents have been impeached by the House and none has been convicted and removed by the Senate. -
The Power of the Purse, Oversight and Representation
Give three reasons Congress is often criticised as ineffective.
Show the answer
Partisan polarisation blocks compromise, the Senate filibuster lets a minority obstruct, and heavy lobbying and fundraising demands distort priorities.
The 4 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The Composition of Congress | Recall questions on what bicameral means, the size and apportionment of the House, how often seats are redistributed and how senators are allocated. | 9 |
| The Powers of Each Chamber, Leadership and Elections | Recall questions on the powers of the House and Senate, their leaders, the filibuster and cloture, the Rules Committee, the social make-up of Congress, incumbency and gerrymandering, midterms and divided government. | 17 |
| How a Bill Passes Congress | Recall questions on the stages within a chamber, where most bills die, how the House can force one out of committee and the role of conference. | 11 |
| The Power of the Purse, Oversight and Representation | Recall questions on congressional oversight and the power of the purse, shutdowns and impeachment, the delegate, trustee and politico models of representation, pork barrel politics and logrolling, and the War Powers Resolution. | 19 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,215 questions with their answers.