CGFM EXAM 1
GOVERNMENT
ENVIRONMENT
QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025-2026
Government Sovereignty - ANS-Nat'l government can't be sued by states or by citizens
w/out its permission.
Government Authority - ANS-Derived from constitutions or charters (local versions of a
constitution), statutes, executive orders & regulations.
3 Levels - ANS-1) National
2) State
3) Local
The primary purpose of each is to provide services to citizens. Separate and distinct,
yet they may coordinate their efforts.
3 Branches - ANS-1) Legislative
2) Executive
3) Judicial
Separation of Powers - ANS-Feature of the Constitution that requires each of the three
branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—to be relatively
,independent of the others so that one cannot control the others. Power is shared
among the three branches of government.
Checks and Balances - ANS-Constitutionally-mandated system that allows each branch
of government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one
branch from exerting too much power.
Judicial Review - ANS-Power given to the judicial branch in order to sustain checks and
balances. Courts can overturn laws passed by the legislature & signed by the
president/governor if courts deem them unconstitutional. Enables judges to question
the legality and reasonableness of a gov't manager's administrative actions. (Test
question)
Federalism - ANS-U.S. system of gov't. Power is distributed among different levels of
gov't and no one level of gov't has complete authority over all areas of public policy.
No centeralized system of gov't in U.S.
Popular Sovereignty - ANS-Basic concept of the Constitution. The idea that ultimate
authority belongs to the voting people and even a sovereign gov't is accountable to
citizens.
Legal Constraints - ANS-Derived from constitutions, statutes, and ordinances. They can
include limits on the type of tax, rate of tax, and tax collection purposes.
Purpose
Term
Amount
Process - ANS-Ways in which constitutions and charters specify whether the
government can incur debt and limit government borrowing. (PTAP)
Reserved Clause - ANS-Stems from the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Powers not delegated to the Nat'l gov't, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the
states and the people. Nat'l gov't can influence lower levels, but can't dictate the
manner in which state & local gov't will operate.
, Areas of Overlap in Governmental Responsibilities - ANS-Nat'l and state gov'ts exercise
authority in civil defense and the Nat'l Guard. For example, during peacetime, Nat'l
Guard units fall under the direction of state governors and meet the needs of the state.
During nat'l emergencies, these units are under command of the President,
Commander in Chief. State and local gov'ts have some responsibility for traffic safety.
All 3 levels impact public education.
Grants - ANS-Money that is distributed to lower-level governments with the purpose of
funding special projects.
Laboratories of Democracy - ANS-Nickname given to state and local governments
because they experiment with policies and procedures that are later adopted at the
nat'l level.
Performance Reporting - ANS-Example of upward influence (laboratory of democracy).
U.S. gov't requirement created in the 90s for federal agencies . Process of collecting
and distributing performance information; includes status reporting, progress
measurement, and forecasting.
Legislative - ANS-Passes laws. House of Representatives and Senate form legislative
branch of Nat'l gov't. Includes Congressional Budget Office, the Library of Congress,
Gov't Accountability Office, and Architect of the Capitol.
Executive - ANS-Administers laws. Executes gov't programs. Includes the U.S.
Departments of Education, Interior, and Defense.
Judicial - ANS-Interprets laws and exercises judicial review over actions of the other
branches.
Municipal Governments - ANS-The lowest level of government and exercises authority
over a municipality (i.e. city, town, village). Usually, the scope of its powers are
determined by its delegated authority from the level of government that creates it and
the laws it passes are called ordinances.
U.S. Constitution - ANS-A set of principles (guidelines) that describe the duties and
powers of the U.S. government. Written in 1787 and ratified in 1791. Has been
GOVERNMENT
ENVIRONMENT
QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025-2026
Government Sovereignty - ANS-Nat'l government can't be sued by states or by citizens
w/out its permission.
Government Authority - ANS-Derived from constitutions or charters (local versions of a
constitution), statutes, executive orders & regulations.
3 Levels - ANS-1) National
2) State
3) Local
The primary purpose of each is to provide services to citizens. Separate and distinct,
yet they may coordinate their efforts.
3 Branches - ANS-1) Legislative
2) Executive
3) Judicial
Separation of Powers - ANS-Feature of the Constitution that requires each of the three
branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—to be relatively
,independent of the others so that one cannot control the others. Power is shared
among the three branches of government.
Checks and Balances - ANS-Constitutionally-mandated system that allows each branch
of government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one
branch from exerting too much power.
Judicial Review - ANS-Power given to the judicial branch in order to sustain checks and
balances. Courts can overturn laws passed by the legislature & signed by the
president/governor if courts deem them unconstitutional. Enables judges to question
the legality and reasonableness of a gov't manager's administrative actions. (Test
question)
Federalism - ANS-U.S. system of gov't. Power is distributed among different levels of
gov't and no one level of gov't has complete authority over all areas of public policy.
No centeralized system of gov't in U.S.
Popular Sovereignty - ANS-Basic concept of the Constitution. The idea that ultimate
authority belongs to the voting people and even a sovereign gov't is accountable to
citizens.
Legal Constraints - ANS-Derived from constitutions, statutes, and ordinances. They can
include limits on the type of tax, rate of tax, and tax collection purposes.
Purpose
Term
Amount
Process - ANS-Ways in which constitutions and charters specify whether the
government can incur debt and limit government borrowing. (PTAP)
Reserved Clause - ANS-Stems from the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Powers not delegated to the Nat'l gov't, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the
states and the people. Nat'l gov't can influence lower levels, but can't dictate the
manner in which state & local gov't will operate.
, Areas of Overlap in Governmental Responsibilities - ANS-Nat'l and state gov'ts exercise
authority in civil defense and the Nat'l Guard. For example, during peacetime, Nat'l
Guard units fall under the direction of state governors and meet the needs of the state.
During nat'l emergencies, these units are under command of the President,
Commander in Chief. State and local gov'ts have some responsibility for traffic safety.
All 3 levels impact public education.
Grants - ANS-Money that is distributed to lower-level governments with the purpose of
funding special projects.
Laboratories of Democracy - ANS-Nickname given to state and local governments
because they experiment with policies and procedures that are later adopted at the
nat'l level.
Performance Reporting - ANS-Example of upward influence (laboratory of democracy).
U.S. gov't requirement created in the 90s for federal agencies . Process of collecting
and distributing performance information; includes status reporting, progress
measurement, and forecasting.
Legislative - ANS-Passes laws. House of Representatives and Senate form legislative
branch of Nat'l gov't. Includes Congressional Budget Office, the Library of Congress,
Gov't Accountability Office, and Architect of the Capitol.
Executive - ANS-Administers laws. Executes gov't programs. Includes the U.S.
Departments of Education, Interior, and Defense.
Judicial - ANS-Interprets laws and exercises judicial review over actions of the other
branches.
Municipal Governments - ANS-The lowest level of government and exercises authority
over a municipality (i.e. city, town, village). Usually, the scope of its powers are
determined by its delegated authority from the level of government that creates it and
the laws it passes are called ordinances.
U.S. Constitution - ANS-A set of principles (guidelines) that describe the duties and
powers of the U.S. government. Written in 1787 and ratified in 1791. Has been
