In this article, we will see 100 MCQs on United States(US) House of Representatives. United States is governed by the bicameral legislature, meaning all the responsibilities of creating policies and legislation are with United States Congress which consists of two chambers - lower chamber called House of Representatives and upper chamber called the Senate. The House has several exclusive powers, including initiating revenue bills and impeaching federal officials. Impeachment proceedings originate in the House, but the actual trial is conducted in the Senate.
Much of the House's work is done in committees. These committees consider bills and issues and oversee agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions. The House has standing committees, select committees, and joint committees (which include members of both the House and Senate). Here we are going to cover 100 MCQs Quiz related to its powers, procedures, historical aspects, and the roles of its members and leadership, providing a comprehensive understanding of this crucial institution in the U.S. government.
100 MCQs Quiz on United States(US) House of Representatives
Also Read: 100 MCQs Quiz on United States Senate You Should Know About
1. How many members are in the U.S. House of Representatives?
A) 100
B) 435
C) 538
D) 50
Ans: B) 435
2. How long is the term for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives?
A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 6 years
D) 8 years
Ans: A) 2 years
3. The number of representatives a state has in the House of Representatives depends on :-
A) The geographical size of the state
B) The population of the state
C) The state's GDP
D) The choice of the state governor
Ans: B) The population of the state
4. Who is the presiding officer of the U.S. House of Representatives?
A) The President of the United States
B) The Vice President of the United States
C) The Speaker of the House
D) The Majority Leader
Ans: C) The Speaker of the House
5. What is the minimum age requirement to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives?
A) 18 years
B) 21 years
C) 25 years
D) 30 years
Ans: C) 25 years
6. Which article of the U.S. Constitution establishes the House of Representatives?
A) Article I
B) Article II
C) Article III
D) Article IV
Ans: A) Article I
7. What is required for a bill to pass the House of Representatives?
A) A simple majority vote
B) A two-thirds majority vote
C) A three-fourths majority vote
D) Unanimous consent
Ans: A) A simple majority vote
8. The House of Representatives has the exclusive power to:
A) Ratify treaties
B) Confirm Supreme Court justices
C) Initiate revenue bills
D) Declare war
Ans: C) Initiate revenue bills
9. How often are elections held for the House of Representatives?
A) Every year
B) Every 2 years
C) Every 4 years
D) Every 6 years
Ans: B) Every 2 years
10. What happens if a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives becomes vacant?
A) The Vice President appoints a replacement
B) The state's governor appoints a replacement
C) A special election is held in the state
D) The seat remains vacant until the next general election
Ans: C) A special election is held in the state
11. What is the total number of voting seats in the House of Representatives?
A) 100
B) 435
C) 438
D) 535
Ans: B) 435
12. Who was the first woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives?
A) Nancy Pelosi
B) Jeannette Rankin
C) Shirley Chisholm
D) Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Ans: B) Jeannette Rankin
13. Which of the following is a key committee in the House of Representatives?
A) The Judiciary Committee
B) The Ethics Committee
C) The Ways and Means Committee
D) All of the above
Ans: D) All of the above
14. What is the role of the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives?
A) Presiding over House sessions
B) Scheduling legislation for floor consideration
C) Representing the minority party
D) Confirming federal judges
Ans: B) Scheduling legislation for floor consideration
15. How many standing committees are typically in the House of Representatives?
A) Less than 10
B) Between 10 and 20
C) Between 20 and 30
D) More than 30
Ans: C) Between 20 and 30
16. Which state currently (as of May 2023) has the most representatives in the House?
A) California
B) Texas
C) Florida
D) New York
Ans: A) California
17. The House of Representatives has the sole power to:
A) Impeach federal officials
B) Try impeachment cases
C) Ratify treaties
D) Confirm Cabinet appointments
Ans: A) Impeach federal officials
18. What is a 'cloture' in the context of the House of Representatives?
A) A procedure to end a filibuster
B) A type of committee
C) A legislative session
D) A voting process
Answer: A) A procedure to end a filibuster
19. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution changed how representatives are apportioned?
A) 12th Amendment
B) 17th Amendment
C) 19th Amendment
D) 22nd Amendment
Ans: B) 17th Amendment
20. In the event of a tie in a House vote, who casts the deciding vote?
A) The Vice President of the United States
B) The Speaker of the House
C) The Majority Leader
D) There is no tie-breaking vote in the House
Ans: D) There is no tie-breaking vote in the House
21. Which of the following is true regarding the Speaker of the House?
A) The Speaker is always from the majority party.
B) The Speaker is appointed by the President.
C) The Speaker must be a sitting member of the House.
D) The Speaker votes in all House decisions.
Ans: C) The Speaker must be a sitting member of the House.
22. Redistricting for the House of Representatives occurs every:
A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 10 years
D) 20 years
Ans: C) 10 years
23. Who has the authority to call special sessions of the House of Representatives?
A) The Speaker of the House
B) The President of the United States
C) The Majority Leader
D) The Supreme Court
Ans: B) The President of the United States
24. What is the primary function of House committees?
A) Debate and vote on bills
B) Provide advice to the Senate
C) Supervise state legislatures
D) Conduct foreign policy
Ans: A) Debate and vote on bills
25. A Representative in the House must have been a U.S. citizen for at least how many years?
A) 5 years
B) 7 years
C) 9 years
D) 14 years
Ans: B) 7 years
26. In what month are general elections for the House of Representatives held?
A) January
B) June
C) September
D) November
Ans: D) November
27. Which power is exclusive to the House of Representatives?
A) Declaring war
B) Ratifying treaties
C) Impeachment trials
D) Initiating revenue bills
Ans: D) Initiating revenue bills
28. How are the seats in the House of Representatives apportioned among the states?
A) Equally, two per state
B) Based on the state's population
C) Based on the state's geographical size
D) By the state's economic contribution
Ans: B) Based on the state's population
29. What is the minimum age required to be elected to the House of Representatives?
A) 18 years
B) 21 years
C) 25 years
D) 30 years
Ans: C) 25 years
30. What is a 'whip' in the context of the House of Representatives?
A) A disciplinary tool
B) A member responsible for party discipline
C) A type of voting procedure
D) A legislative assistant
Ans: B) A member responsible for party discipline
31. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution allowed for direct election of House members?
A) 12th Amendment
B) 15th Amendment
C) 17th Amendment
D) 19th Amendment
Ans: C) 17th Amendment
32. How is the Speaker of the House chosen?
A) By the President
B) By popular vote
C) By House members
D) By the Senate
Ans: C) By House members
33. If the Vice President cannot serve, who is next in the line of presidential succession?
A) The Speaker of the House
B) The President Pro Tempore of the Senate
C) The Secretary of State
D) The Secretary of Defense
Ans: A) The Speaker of the House
34. Members of the House of Representatives must reside:
A) In the district they represent
B) Anywhere in the state they represent
C) In Washington, D.C.
D) In any U.S. state
Ans: A) In the district they represent
35. What is the role of standing committees in the House of Representatives?
A) Debate and vote on bills
B) Oversee executive branch agencies
C) Ratify treaties
D) A and B
Ans: D) A and B
36. Which article of the U.S. Constitution covers the House of Representatives?
A) Article I
B) Article II
C) Article III
D) Article IV
Ans: A) Article I
37. The concept of 'gerrymandering' is associated with:
A) Redrawing electoral districts
B) Selecting House committee members
C) The election process for the Speaker
D) Voting on legislation
Ans: A) Redrawing electoral districts
38. Who was the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives?
A) Shirley Chisholm
B) Barbara Jordan
C) Maxine Waters
D) Yvonne Brathwaite Burke
Ans: A) Shirley Chisholm
39. How are committee chairs in the House of Representatives typically chosen?
A) By seniority within the majority party
B) By the Speaker of the House
C) By a majority vote of the committee members
D) By the President
Ans: A) By seniority within the majority party
40. The House of Representatives has how many non-voting members?
A) None
B) Two
C) Six
D) Nine
Ans: C) Six
41. Who has the power to impeach the President of the United States?
A) The Senate
B) The House of Representatives
C) The Supreme Court
D) The Vice President
Ans: B) The House of Representatives
42. In what year were women first allowed to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives?
A) 1917
B) 1920
C) 1932
D) 1945
Ans: A) 1917
43. Which state currently (as of May 2023) has only one representative in the House?
A) Rhode Island
B) Delaware
C) Vermont
D) Both B and C
Ans: D) Both B and C
44. How many voting delegates from U.S. territories are there in the House of Representatives?
A) None
B) One
C) Four
D) Six
Ans: D) Six
45. What happens in the House of Representatives if no presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes?
A) The House elects the President
B) The decision goes to the Supreme Court
C) A new election is held
D) The Senate elects the President
Ans: A) The House elects the President
46. Who was the longest-serving Speaker of the House of Representatives?
A) Nancy Pelosi
B) John Boehner
C) Sam Rayburn
D) Tip O'Neill
Ans: C) Sam Rayburn
47. What is the role of the House Minority Leader?
A) To lead the party with the most seats
B) To lead the party with the second most seats
C) To oversee the election of the Speaker
D) To represent the House in the Senate
Ans: B) To lead the party with the second most seats
48. What type of committee is formed temporarily to address a specific issue in the House of Representatives?
A) Standing committee
B) Select committee
C) Joint committee
D) Conference committee
Ans: B) Select committee
49. Which of the following is a power of the House of Representatives?
A) Confirming Supreme Court justices
B) Ratifying treaties
C) Declaring war
D) Originating revenue bills
Ans: D) Originating revenue bills
50. The House of Representatives meets in which part of the United States Capitol building?
A) The North Wing
B) The South Wing
C) The East Wing
D) The West Wing
Ans: B) The South Wing
51. What is the primary responsibility of the House Ways and Means Committee?
A) Overseeing government spending
B) Managing the federal budget
C) Taxation and revenue policies
D) Regulating commerce and trade
Ans: C) Taxation and revenue policies
52. Which founding document of the United States outlines the structure of the House of Representatives?
A) The Declaration of Independence
B) The Bill of Rights
C) The Articles of Confederation
D) The Constitution
Ans: D) The Constitution
53. Who can introduce a bill in the House of Representatives?
A) Any U.S. citizen
B) Only the Speaker of the House
C) Any member of Congress
D) Only members of the House
Ans: D) Only members of the House
54. Which territory does NOT have a non-voting delegate in the House?
A) Puerto Rico
B) Guam
C) American Samoa
D) Hawaii
Ans: D) Hawaii
55. The first African American woman to serve in the House of Representatives was elected in what year?
A) 1952
B) 1968
C) 1972
D) 1984
Ans: B) 1968
56. How many standing committees were in the House of Representatives as of my last update in April 2023?
A) 10
B) 20
C) 35
D) 50
Ans: B) 20
57. Who has the authority to discipline members of the House of Representatives for misconduct?
A) The Supreme Court
B) The President
C) The House Ethics Committee
D) The Senate
Ans: C) The House Ethics Committee
58. What happens when a bill is passed by the House of Representatives?
A) It becomes law immediately
B) It is sent to the President for approval
C) It goes to the Senate for consideration
D) It is reviewed by the Supreme Court
Ans: C) It goes to the Senate for consideration
59. How is the number of representatives each state has in the House determined?
A) By the state's land area
B) By the state's population in the most recent census
C) Equally among all states
D) By the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Ans: B) By the state's population in the most recent census
60. When did the House of Representatives first convene?
A) 1776
B) 1781
C) 1787
D) 1789
Ans: D) 1789
61. Who is eligible to vote in the House of Representatives?
A) All members, including the Speaker
B) Only the elected Representatives
C) All members, except the Speaker
D) Elected Representatives and the delegates from territories
Ans: B) Only the elected Representatives
62. What is the primary role of the House Appropriations Committee?
A) Regulating commerce
B) Drafting tax legislation
C) Overseeing government spending
D) Managing foreign affairs
Ans: C) Overseeing government spending
63. In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court rule on the issue of gerrymandering?
A) Plessy v. Ferguson
B) Brown v. Board of Education
C) Baker v. Carr
D) Roe v. Wade
Ans: C) Baker v. Carr
64. The House of Representatives has the power to:
A) Appoint Supreme Court Justices
B) Ratify treaties
C) Initiate impeachment proceedings
D) Confirm cabinet appointments
Ans: C) Initiate impeachment proceedings
65. Which party had the majority in the House of Representatives as of April 2023?
A) Democratic Party
B) Republican Party
C) Independent
D) No party held a clear majority
Ans: A) Democratic Party
66. What is the role of the House Majority Whip?
A) To lead the majority party
B) To enforce party discipline in voting
C) To whip up support for legislation
D) To liaise with the Senate
Ans: B) To enforce party discipline in voting
67. The House of Representatives convenes in which building?
A) The White House
B) The U.S. Capitol Building
C) The Supreme Court Building
D) The Library of Congress
Ans: B) The U.S. Capitol Building
68. How often is the entire House of Representatives up for election?
A) Every year
B) Every 2 years
C) Every 4 years
D) Every 6 years
Ans: B) Every 2 years
69. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution affects congressional apportionment?
A) The 14th Amendment
B) The 15th Amendment
C) The 19th Amendment
D) The 22nd Amendment
Ans: A) The 14th Amendment
70. What happens if the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill?
A) The bill is sent to the President to decide
B) The bill is considered defeated
C) A conference committee reconciles the differences
D) The Supreme Court decides which version to adopt
Ans: C) A conference committee reconciles the differences
71. The House of Representatives has how many permanent standing committees?
A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40
Ans: B) 20
72. Who was the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives?
A) Nancy Pelosi
B) Geraldine Ferraro
C) Elizabeth Warren
D) Hillary Clinton
Ans: A) Nancy Pelosi
73. Which state had the largest number of representatives in the House as of November 2023?
A) California
B) Texas
C) Florida
D) New York
Ans: A) California
74. What is the main function of the House Rules Committee?
A) It drafts new laws
B) It sets the terms for debate and amendment of bills
C) It oversees ethics issues
D) It handles budget matters
Ans: B) It sets the terms for debate and amendment of bills
75. How many votes are needed to pass a bill in the House of Representatives?
A) A simple majority of those present and voting
B) A two-thirds majority of those present and voting
C) A three-fourths majority of all members
D) A unanimous vote
Ans: A) A simple majority of those present and voting
76. Who has the authority to redraw congressional districts?
A) The President
B) The Supreme Court
C) State legislatures
D) The Federal Election Commission
Ans: C) State legislatures
77. What is the 'Committee of the Whole' in the context of the House of Representatives?
A) A special investigative committee
B) A session where the House operates with relaxed rules
C) A joint session with the Senate
D) A budget committee
Ans: B) A session where the House operates with relaxed rules
78. In the House of Representatives, what is a 'markup' session?
A) A session for media and public relations
B) A session where a committee reviews and amends a bill
C) A voting session
D) A strategy meeting of party leaders
Ans: B) A session where a committee reviews and amends a bill
79. What is required for a member of the House of Representatives to be expelled?
A) A simple majority vote
B) A two-thirds majority vote
C) A unanimous vote
D) Approval from the President
Ans: B) A two-thirds majority vote
80. Which body has the final authority to decide disputes about the election of House members?
A) The Senate
B) The Supreme Court
C) The House of Representatives itself
D) The Electoral College
Ans: C) The House of Representatives itself
81. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits the number of terms a Representative can serve?
A) There is no such amendment
B) 22nd Amendment
C) 12th Amendment
D) 17th Amendment
Ans: A) There is no such amendment
82. What is the primary responsibility of the House Judiciary Committee?
A) Overseeing federal courts and law enforcement agencies
B) Managing the federal budget
C) Handling foreign affairs
D) Drafting tax legislation
Ans: A) Overseeing federal courts and law enforcement agencies
83. In the event of a tie in a vote, how is it resolved in the House of Representatives?
A) The Vice President casts the deciding vote
B) The Speaker of the House casts the deciding vote
C) The bill is automatically defeated
D) A new vote is scheduled
Ans: C) The bill is automatically defeated
84. Who has the power to introduce a bill in the House of Representatives?
A) Any U.S. citizen
B) Any member of the House of Representatives
C) The President of the United States
D) The Speaker of the House
Ans: B) Any member of the House of Representatives
85. How many non-voting delegates represent U.S. territories and Washington D.C. in the House?
A) None
B) Two
C) Four
D) Six
Ans: D) Six
86. What is the minimum number of representatives a state can have in the House?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four
Ans: A) One
87. The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach a federal official. What is required to impeach?
A) A simple majority vote
B) A two-thirds majority vote
C) A three-fourths majority vote
D) A unanimous vote
Ans: A) A simple majority vote
88. Who determines the rules for proceedings in the House of Representatives?
A) The Supreme Court
B) The President
C) The Senate
D) The House itself
Ans: D) The House itself
89. What happens to a bill in the House of Representatives after it is reported out of a committee?
A) It goes to the President for approval
B) It is sent to the Senate
C) It is debated on the House floor
D) It becomes law
Ans: C) It is debated on the House floor
90. Which of the following is a unique power of the House of Representatives?
A) Confirming Cabinet appointments
B) Approving treaties
C) Originating revenue bills
D) Trying impeachment cases
Ans: C) Originating revenue bills
91. What is the term used for the redrawing of congressional districts to favor a particular party or group?
A) Filibustering
B) Gerrymandering
C) Cloture
D) Vetoing
Ans: B) Gerrymandering
92. Who is responsible for maintaining order in the House of Representatives?
A) The Majority Leader
B) The Speaker of the House
C) The Sergeant at Arms
D) The Vice President
Ans: C) The Sergeant at Arms
93. In which month are the new sessions of Congress typically convened?
A) January
B) July
C) September
D) December
Ans: A) January
94. How are the chairs of the House committees typically chosen?
A) By seniority within the majority party
B) By direct election by the House members
C) Appointed by the President
D) Selected by the Speaker of the House
Ans: A) By seniority within the majority party
95. Which of the following issues would the House Agriculture Committee typically address?
A) National defense
B) International trade
C) Farming and agriculture policies
D) Urban development
Ans: C) Farming and agriculture policies
96. What is the name given to a bill that has been passed in identical form by both houses of Congress?
A) A resolution
B) An act
C) A motion
D) A law
Ans: B) An act
97. The permanent office that provides nonpartisan support to Congress, including the House, is called:
A) The Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
B) The General Accounting Office (GAO)
C) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
D) The Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Ans: D) The Congressional Research Service (CRS)
98. Which House committee is primarily responsible for issues related to taxation and revenue?
A) The Budget Committee
B) The Finance Committee
C) The Ways and Means Committee
D) The Appropriations Committee
Ans: C) The Ways and Means Committee
99. For how long members of the House of Representatives must have been residents of the state they represent?
A) At least 1 year
B) At least 3 years
C) At least 5 years
D) There is no such requirement
Ans: D) There is no such requirement
100. Who has the authority to expel a member of the House of Representatives?
A) The President
B) The Supreme Court
C) The Senate
D) The House of Representatives itself
Ans: D) The House of Representatives itself