This document contains 25 multiple choice questions about US government budgeting and the US Constitution. The questions cover topics such as the Preamble, enumerated powers, federalism, authorization acts, appropriations, deficits, surpluses, revenue, the General Welfare Clause, direct spending, earmarks, and the budget process.

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GOVT 462 Quiz 1
1. The Preamble to the US Constitution is an enacting clause, justifying the authority
to create a national government. What is its primary role?
2. Given the powers granted in the US Constitution, what is an enumerated power?
3. Which of the following best identifies “Federalism” as a political theory?
4. Spending Legislation includes “Authorization Acts.” Which of the following
identifies an “Authorization Act”?
5. The act of Congress that permits federal agencies to incur obligation and make
payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes is an
6. Which of the following best defines the term “Deficit” as a budgetary term?
7. What is “Reconciliation” relative to the budget process?
8. Constitutionally speaking, what is the legitimate purpose for Congress’ power to
tax and spend?
9. Which of the following best defines the term “Surplus” as a budgetary term?
10. Which of the following best defines the term “Revenue” as a budgetary term?
11. What is the significance of Amendment X of the Bill of Rights?
12. A yearly accounting period established by the federal government beginning
October 1, and ending on September 30 is
13. Permanent appropriations represent the authority to spend as provided in
authorizing legislation without the need for subsequent annual appropriations.
Which of the following is not budgeted as part of a permanent appropriations bill?
14. The US Constitution requires that all revenue measures originate in the House of
Representatives, as opposed to the Senate. How is revenue derived?
15. Given the powers granted in the US Constitution, what is reserved power?
16. Authority provided by law to enter into obligations that will result in immediate
or future outlays involving federal government funds is referred to as
17. Which of the following describes the amount of checks issued, interest accrued on
most public debt, or other payments as well as net of refunds and
reimbursements?
18. What is the province of congressional authority relative to the “General Welfare
Clause” of Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1?
19. In Federalist 41, James Madison is rehearsing a “General View of the Powers
Proposed to be Vested in the Union,” and among various categories of power, he

2. discusses “the necessity of the power of taxation.” He states: “Some, who have
not denied the necessity of the power of taxation, have grounded a very fierce
attack against the constitution, on the language in which it is defined. It has been
urged and echoed, that the 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,” amounts to an unlimited commission to exercise
every power, which may be alleged to be necessary for the common defence or
general welfare.” Madison then immediately claims that “No stronger proof could
be given of the distress under which these writers labour for objections, than their
stooping to such a misconstruction.” Which of the following best describes
Madison’s argument against such a board description of the Federal government’s
taxation authority?
20. Which of the following best defines “Direct Spending” as part of the US Budget?
21. “Spending Legislation” includes “Appropriation Acts.” Which of the following
identifies an “Appropriations Act”?
22. Spending authority that permits a federal agency to incur obligations and to make
payments for specified purposes out of funds borrowed from the Treasury or the
public is referred to as
23. Which of the following describes the process for keeping expenditures within the
major elements of the budget by requiring that additions to outlays above amounts
set by the budget resolutions or in law be made up by new sources of revenue or
by reductions elsewhere within that category?
24. Which of the following relates to legislation that requires the payment of benefits
to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility requirements
established by law, and considered a binding obligation on the part of the federal
government?
25. Appropriations include provisions which impact how federal departments and
agencies spend appropriations. One such provision is an “Earmark,” defined
below as