Civics Polity

Legislature and Parliament

1,499 Questions

Legislature and Parliament topics cover the structure, functions, and legislative procedures of the lawmaking bodies. This collection focuses on the passage of bills, parliamentary committees, and the roles of different houses. These questions are highly relevant for civil services and state public service commission examinations.

Money billsParliamentary committeesLegislative proceduresRajya Sabha rulesState legislaturesImpeachment process

Legislature and Parliament Questions

Multiple choice

What are the two main types of committees in a legislative body?

  1. Standing committees and select committees

  2. House committees and Senate committees

  3. Joint committees and conference committees

  4. Subcommittees and task forces
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Standing committees are permanent committees that are established at the beginning of each legislative session. Select committees are temporary committees that are created to address a specific issue or topic.

Multiple choice

What are the different types of committees in a legislative body?

  1. Standing committees

  2. Select committees

  3. Joint committees

  4. Conference committees
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
Correct answer
Explanation

There are four main types of committees in a legislative body: standing committees, select committees, joint committees, and conference committees.

Multiple choice

What are the different types of committees in a legislative body?

  1. Standing committees

  2. Select committees

  3. Joint committees

  4. Conference committees
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
Correct answer
Explanation

There are four main types of committees in a legislative body: standing committees, select committees, joint committees, and conference committees.

Multiple choice

What is the purpose of suspending the rules in a legislative body?

  1. To allow for a vote on a bill that has not been properly noticed.

  2. To allow for a vote on a bill that has been filibustered.

  3. To allow for a vote on a bill that has been vetoed by the executive.

  4. To allow for a vote on a bill that has been deemed unconstitutional by the courts.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Suspending the rules allows a legislative body to bypass the normal procedures for considering a bill and bring it to a vote immediately.

Multiple choice

What are the requirements for suspending the rules in the United States House of Representatives?

  1. A two-thirds majority vote.

  2. A simple majority vote.

  3. A unanimous consent vote.

  4. A vote of the Speaker of the House.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In the United States House of Representatives, a two-thirds majority vote is required to suspend the rules.

Multiple choice

What are the requirements for suspending the rules in the United States Senate?

  1. A two-thirds majority vote.

  2. A simple majority vote.

  3. A unanimous consent vote.

  4. A vote of the President of the Senate.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In the United States Senate, a unanimous consent vote is required to suspend the rules.

Multiple choice

When is suspending the rules most likely to occur?

  1. At the end of a legislative session.

  2. During a filibuster.

  3. When a bill is considered to be urgent.

  4. When the majority party has a large majority.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Suspending the rules is most likely to occur when a bill is considered to be urgent, such as a bill that is necessary to address a national emergency.

Multiple choice

Is suspending the rules a common occurrence in the United States Congress?

  1. Yes.

  2. No.

  3. It depends on the circumstances.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The frequency of suspending the rules in the United States Congress varies depending on the circumstances. In some years, the rules are suspended dozens of times, while in other years they are suspended only a few times.

Multiple choice

How are conference committees formed?

  1. By a vote of the full House and Senate.

  2. By the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate.

  3. By the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate.

  4. By the chairs of the relevant House and Senate committees.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Conference committees are formed by the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate. The leaders of each party appoint members from their respective chambers to serve on the committee.

Multiple choice

What happens after a conference committee reaches a compromise?

  1. The compromise version of the bill is sent to the President for signature.

  2. The compromise version of the bill is sent back to the House and Senate for a vote.

  3. The compromise version of the bill is sent to the relevant House and Senate committees for review.

  4. The compromise version of the bill is sent to the Congressional Budget Office for review.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

After a conference committee reaches a compromise, the compromise version of the bill is sent back to the House and Senate for a vote. If both chambers pass the compromise version of the bill, it is then sent to the President for signature.

Multiple choice

What happens if a conference committee fails to reach a compromise?

  1. The bill is dead.

  2. The bill is sent back to the relevant House and Senate committees for further consideration.

  3. The bill is sent to the President for signature.

  4. The bill is sent to the Congressional Budget Office for review.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

If a conference committee fails to reach a compromise, the bill is dead. This means that the bill will not be passed into law.

Multiple choice

Which conference committee was responsible for resolving the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018?

  1. The Senate-House Conference Committee on the Budget

  2. The Joint Committee on the Budget

  3. The House-Senate Conference Committee on the Bipartisan Budget Act

  4. The Conference Committee on the Budget
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The House-Senate Conference Committee on the Bipartisan Budget Act was a joint committee of the United States Congress that was created to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

Multiple choice

How is a conference committee formed?

  1. By a vote of the House and Senate

  2. By the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate

  3. By the Majority Leader of the House and the Minority Leader of the Senate

  4. By the President of the United States
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A conference committee is formed by a vote of the House and Senate. The motion to create a conference committee is typically made by the majority leader of the chamber that passed the bill first. The motion must be approved by a majority vote in both the House and Senate.

Multiple choice

What happens after a conference committee reaches a compromise?

  1. The compromise version of the bill is voted on by the House and Senate

  2. The compromise version of the bill is sent to the President for signature

  3. The compromise version of the bill is sent to the Supreme Court for review

  4. The compromise version of the bill is filed away and never seen again
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

After a conference committee reaches a compromise, the compromise version of the bill is voted on by the House and Senate. If the compromise version is approved by a majority vote in both chambers, it is sent to the President for signature. If the President signs the bill, it becomes law.

Multiple choice

When are conference committees typically convened?

  1. After a bill has passed both the House and Senate in identical form.

  2. After a bill has passed one chamber but not the other.

  3. After a bill has been vetoed by the President.

  4. After a bill has been challenged in court.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Conference committees are convened when a bill has passed one chamber but not the other, or when the two chambers have passed different versions of the same bill. The committee's goal is to find a compromise that can be accepted by both chambers.