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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2,544 Articles
Map of the United States on a digital display

Beware the AI Preemption Trap

The White House's National AI Policy Framework asks Congress to shut down the only governments that are regulating AI, in exchange for a federal regime that would not.
Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee sit at a long U-shaped wooden table in a Capitol Hill hearing room.

DHS’s Revolving Door: The Need for Experienced Leadership in Dangerous Times

DHS sits at the center of a rapidly converging threat landscape. Now more than any time since DHS’s history, it begs for an extraordinary leadership team.
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conduct a traffic stop near the U.S. Capitol

Ban Pay-to-Play National Security Approvals

Congress must ban demands for payment to the government for national-security related approvals and prohibit companies from making these payments.
​Under a bright, blue sky, a giant white composite wind blade lies horizontally. Displayed across the wind turbine reads: "PROUDLY MADE IN THE U.S.A.​," the American flag, and the logo of TPI Composites, Inc.

Energy Security is National Security: Fixing America’s Incoherent Energy Policies

In a world where conflict abroad reverberates rapidly through global energy systems, “energy dominance” cannot be defined narrowly as maximizing fossil fuel output.
US Capitol Building against a sunset

The Court Gutted Congress’s War Power. It’s Time to Give It Back.

A 1983 Supreme Court ruling eviscerated the law allowing Congress to end war. The Iran strikes make that a five-alarm emergency.
A patient shows a Vulante tablet, a medication and specifically a combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and lamivudine, used for the treatment of HIV infection in adults aged 18 years and older. (via Getty Images)

How Trump’s New Global Gag Rules Will Undermine US Interests Abroad

Reduced effectiveness in HIV prevention, slower humanitarian response, and fragmented partnerships impose real costs on American interests and vulnerable populations alike.
Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Marine General Francis L. Donovan walk side by side outdoors at U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Doral, Florida, during the Americas Counter Cartel Conference, with other officials visible in the background.

Did the United States Just Bomb Ecuador?

The U.S. military continues maritime strikes on alleged drug smugglers and may now be hitting targets on land. Brian Finucane analyzes Trump’s latest War Powers report.
Picture Of United Nations Flags

Operation Epic Fury: Reports of the Death of International Law are Greatly Exaggerated

"I am sure some restrictionists will critique my analysis by claiming it is not grounded in orthodox interpretations of international law."
The Department of Justice

A Year Later – What Did the Pause on FCPA Enforcement Do?

A year after pausing FCPA enforcement, the U.S. has trimmed cases, cut prosecutors, and reversed key sanctions, signaling a retreat from anti-corruption.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) talks to reporters before heading into the Senate Chamber to vote at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Iran, War Powers, and the Power of the Purse: Leverage or Legalization

With America’s war in Iran costing around $2 billion per day, Congress will soon face a choice: use its leverage to force an exit, or continue to fund it.
​A man, ICE Acting Director Caleb Vitello​, surrounded by a least two other men, members of the New York City Fugitive Operations Team​, conduct targeted enforcement operations on January 28, 2025 in New York City. The officers are in "POLICE ICE" tactical gear.

The Deeper Problem with ICE’s Arrest Warrants

DHS regulations do not ensure that ICE arrest warrants are supported by reliable probable cause findings. That failing poses significant Fourth Amendment risks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addresses the press before briefing House and Senate leaders on US military action in Iran, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 2, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Double Preemption, Imminence, and the U.S. Attack Against Iran

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s argument that Operation Epic Fury was an act of preemptive self-defense is not credible and does not satisfy the necessary precondition.
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