Landmark Programs and Legislation

27. Which of the following is articulated in the War Powers Resolution? A. The president may declare war. B. the president must finance any war efforts from a special contingency fund. C. The president must bring troops home from hostilities within 60 to 90 days unless congress extends the time. D. The president may not nationalize state militias without congressional consent. E. The president may not send troops into hostilities without a declaration of war from congress or a resolution from the United Nations.

To know... War Powers Resolution As Commander-in-Chief president can introduce troops into hostilities if 1) war is declared 2) "specific statutory authorization" 3) in case of national emergency -- ex. Attack on US, US territories/possessions, or US armed forces - president must report in writing to Congress within 48 hours of introducing US troops into hostile environments - after 60 days, president must prove to Congress that troops need to stay in hostile environment - if congress does not authorize the troops to stay within the days, the troops must be withdrawn Answer: C

44. Which of the following is true of the Voting Rights Act of 1965? A. It was necessary because the 15th amendment effectively guaranteed African Americans the right to vote. B. It has never been applied to any group except southern African Americans. C. It has been a major instrument for increasing the number of African Americans and other minority voters. D. It was declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in Shaw vs. Reno. E. It requires that minority officeholders be elected.

To know... Voting Rights Act of bans racial discrimination in voting practices by the federal government as well as by state and local governments - passed after almost a century of deliberate denial of the vote to African-Americans in the South and Latinos in the Southwest, as well as non-English speakers nationwide - regarded as enabling the enfranchisement of millions of minority voters and diversifying the electorate and legislative bodies - has been re-authorized by congress 5 times, most recently in th amendment granted African American men the right to vote - failed: literacy tests, poll taxes, etc. Shaw vs. Reno Constitutional Question: Did the North Carolina residents' claim, that the State created a racially gerrymandered district, raise a valid constitutional issue under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause? Answer: C

Question # The Americans with Disabilities Act, which provides protections for the disabled, is an example of: State supremacy Horizontal federalism Affirmative action Dual federalism A federal mandate Step 1. Find out what the question is asking you. Step 2. Define what the Americans with Disabilities Act is Step 3. Which Category does the Americans with Disabilities Act fall under. Step 4. Pick your Answer.

Question Number # In which of the following did Congress move to regain powers previously lost to the executive branch. Budget and Impoundment Control Act Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act Presidential Disability Act Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Persian Gulf War Step 1. Find out what the question is asking you. Step 2. You need to know about the events listed as answers. Step 3. Eliminate the answers that cannot be true.

(2006 FRQ) 2. In recent decades, entitlement programs have constituted a substantial portion of the United States federal budget. Social Security is the larges entitlement program in the United States. From the information in the chart above and your knowledge of United States government and politics, performs the following tasks. Define entitlement program. What is the primary source of revenue for the Social Security should the trends depicted in the chart above continue. Identify one threat to the future of the Social Security program should the trends depicted in the chart above. Describe one demographic trend that threatens the future of the Social Security program AND explain how it is responsible for the threat that you identified in (c). Explain how any one of the trends in the chart above would change if the age of eligibility for Social Security were raised. To approach the question you should have some background knowledge on the Social Security entitlement program. In the (5 steps to a 5) book a helpful chapter to look at would be Chapter 16, which reviews economic policy and domestic policy. If you don’t know how to answer all parts of the question then just focus on what you do know. On page 63 there is a review on how to answer FRQ questions.

(2007 FRQ) 3. Conflicts between Congress and the President over war powers have their origin in the United States Constitution. In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Resolutions in an attempt to clarify the balance of powers between the two branches of government. Describe the primary constitution conflict between Congress and the President over the decision to go to war. Describe two provisions of the War Powers Resolution that were designed to limit the President’s power over war making. The War Powers Resolutions has receives mixed reviews, but Congress has other powers over war making. Other than the constitutional power that you describe in (a), identify and explain two other formal powers Congress has over war making. You should first have some background knowledge on the War Powers Resolution. War Powers Resolution: It is a check from the Legislative branch on the president’s powers on war. It requires the president to let the Congress know within 48 hours of committing armed troops to a foreign country. The troops can only stay there for 60 days and have to withdraw if the Congress has not yet declared war. If you don’t know how to answer all parts of the question then just focus on what you do know. On page 63 there is a review on how to answer FRQ questions.