Congress
Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis of U.S. Congress’ role in national security, foreign affairs, the rule of law, and rights. Coverage includes analysis and informational resources related to the legislative process, oversight and investigations of the executive branch, and major debates on the separation of powers and Congress’ constitutional role.
2,549 Articles
Sessions Changes his Story on Russian Contacts in Senate Testimony
On Wednesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions changed his story yet again about what he discussed with Russian officials during the 2016 election. While he initially denied having…
Where is Congress? The Supreme Court’s Cert in Microsoft Ireland Case Should Spur Lawmakers to Act
On Monday, the Supreme Court decided to take cert in what’s known as the Microsoft Ireland case – raising the issue of law enforcement’s ability to reach data stored…
Responsibility and the Encryption Debate: A Response to DAG Rosenstein
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Last week, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein gave a speech about encryption at the U.S. Naval Academy, solidifying the Trump administration’s…
AG Sessions’ Shifting and False Statements to Congress on Russia
Attorney General Jeff Sessions will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for an oversight hearing. This is the first time Sessions will come before the Senate…
Would the United States Be Responsible for Private Hacking?
Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA) and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced the Active Cyber Defense Certainty Act (H.R. 4036) in the House of Representatives on Oct. 13. The bill would amend…
Don’t Believe the Hype: Trump Is Not “Decertifying” the Iran Deal
If you’ve been reading the papers, or spent any time online, you’ve probably seen the banner headlines and dire warnings announcing that the President has decided to “decertify”…
What the White House Announcement on Iran Deal Really Means: Three Takeaways
Three takeaways help to understand the significance of President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new policy toward Iran and steps he is asking Congress to take with respect…
Oral Arguments in Jesner v. Arab Bank: Supreme Court May Favor Two Steps to Corporate Liability for Human Rights Violations
Ed. note. This article is the latest in our series on the U.S. Supreme Court case Jesner. v. Arab Bank, a case that is slated to resolve the question of whether corporations can…
Protecting a Free and Open Internet: My testimony before the House Commerce Committee
The free movement of data across borders is critical to economic growth, has benefits for data security, and promotes privacy, speech, and associational rights. Yet, increasingly…
Terrorist Financing: A Backgrounder
Ed. note. This post is the latest in our series on the U.S. Supreme Court case Jesner. v. Arab Bank, a case that is slated to resolve the question of whether corporations can…
How Congress Should Avoid Taking the Bait if Trump Fails to Certify Iran Nuclear Deal
President Trump has made clear since the he was on the campaign trail his extreme distaste for the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated among the United…
Three Quick Observations on the U.S. Citizen ISIL Detainee
1. Like Bobby Chesney, I fully expected that “John Doe”–the U.S. citizen who the military currently is detaining in Iraq–would be “en route to the…