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.

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2,621 Articles

Lessons from U.S. Global Anti-Corruption Efforts and Opportunities Ahead

The United States should learn from past mistakes and re-embrace the importance of promoting anti-corruption to its foreign policy.
The White House appears in the left side of the frame, foregrounded by an American flag waving in the wind and the White House lawn. In the right side of the frame, obscured by trees is a tall yellow construction crane, all under a bright cloudy sky.

Closing Pay-to-Play Loopholes: Strengthening the Ban on Federal Contractor Political Spending

To help curb government corruption, Congress should close the gaps in and expand the ban on contractor political spending.
A line of cars snaking from the foreground to the back of the frame, lined up at a gas station with a roof bearing the company name "Gazpromneft" in Cyrillic letters.

Fueling Russia’s War: The Russian Diesel Deal and International Law

By lifting export restrictions on Russian diesel, the United States arguably bears responsibility for aiding and assisting Russia's unlawful use of force against Ukraine.
Witkoff, at left in a dark suit and rose-colored tie, shakes hands with Putin (at right), as another Russian official looks on, all against a backdrop of red damask wallpaper.

In the Russia-Ukraine War, Does Trump Know How to Play Cards?

President Trump is giving up influence with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while seriously underplaying his hand with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
A sign marks the location of a polling place as residents vote in the state's primary election on August 11, 2026 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Boots Off Ballots: Troops and Elections, In Practice

Soldiers should always remember that in a democracy, any domestic deployment order given on or around an election is suspect.
The front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building against a clear, blue sky, with its columns and steps in shadow and a low shrub in the foreground.

Key Takeaways from Suncor v. Boulder Oral Argument: Jurisdiction, Preemption, and the Proper Role of State Tort Law in Addressing Climate Change

What we learned from oral arguments in the most important climate liability case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court in more than a decade.

Why the U.S. Must Prepare for Rapid Global Population Aging – and How

The United States lacks a strategy and coordinated agency efforts to adapt foreign and security policy to the rapid aging of the global population.
A ballot box sits ready to be used as Prairie Oak Lodge is used as a polling place on June 2, 2026 in Marion, Iowa.

No Emergency Exception: The Ban on Troops at the Polls Was Built for Crises

Section 592 unmistakably conveys Congress’s intent to bar any kind of military interference in American elections.
The U.S. Department of Justice Building on August 17, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Dangerous Warning Signs from the First-Ever ATRC Case

The first-ever case brought before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court displayed the dangers the court poses to democratic rights.
General view of the Jose Antonio Anzoategui Petrochemical Complex in Puerto Piritu, Anzoategui, Venezuela on September 17, 2026.

How Will Congress and the Public Learn the Details of Trump’s Venezuela Oil Deal?

If the Trump administration declines to disclose the terms of the Venezuela oil deal, Congress has tools available to compel it to do so.
An official ballot drop box in front of the Washington Park Library.

Boots Off Ballots: The Law

Federal law and the Constitution are abundantly clear: efforts to involve troops in U.S. elections are anti-constitutional and illegal.

Twenty-Five Years After 9/11, It Is Time to Repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and End the Forever War

Successive administrations have stretched the AUMF beyond any reasonable interpretation to wage worldwide war, without foreseeable end.
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