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.

× Clear Filters
2,471 Articles
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: Chairman Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) gives an opening statement as FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia, SolarWinds CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna and Microsoft President Brad Smith testify at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on February 23, 2021 in Washington, DC. The hearing focused on the 2020 cyberattack that resulted in a series of major data breaches within several U.S. corporations and agencies and departments in the U.S. federal government. (Photo by Demetrius Freeman-Pool/Getty Images)

Artificial Intelligence in the Intelligence Community: Oversight Must Not Be an Oversight

Congressional oversight of AI in the IC must evolve into a more adaptive approach that builds trust, transparency, and ultimately partnership.
Taiwanese military vehicles take part in a national day parade in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei on October 10, 2021.

Unilateral Use of Force in the “National Interest”: Taiwan Doesn’t Meet the Test

Can the President use force to protect Taiwan in the "national interest" without congressional authorization?
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan listens to the President of the Special Peace Jurisdiction Eduardo Cifuentes during a press conference in Bogota, October 27, 2021.

Uncertain Future for the ICC’s Investigation into the CIA Torture Program

The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has "deprioritized" investigation of CIA torture in Afghanistan. But Julian Elderfield, a former attorney in the OTP, says the stated reasons for…
Bill Browder, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and two others speak while sitting at a press conference in London on November 20, 2018. People sit facing them with recording equipment.

Abuse of Interpol for Transnational Repression: Assessing the FY22 NDAA’s Provisions for Prevention

The act needs work, but could set a new standard in limiting Interpol abuse for assassinations, abductions, financial blacklisting and more.
Mo Brooks talks at a podium with the sign “Save America” and gestures into the air. American flags stand on either side of him.

Timeline: Rep. Mo Brooks, January 6, and the Effort to Overturn an Election

A comprehensive timeline of Rep. Mo Brooks’ reported actions and public statements in trying to overturn the American election.
A sign for Camp Justice in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Five flags waive from posts.

A Torture Survivor Speaks at the Guantanamo Military Commissions

Majid Khan described his torture by the United States for the first time in a case that also shows how plea agreements are the only realistic path for those charged in Guantanamo…
Trump boards Marine One as he departs the White House on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. A person in military uniform salutes him as he passes.

No, Former Presidents Cannot Assert Executive Privilege. At Least Not Meaningfully.

"Former President Trump’s authority, if any, would be at the 'lowest conceivable ebb' by asserting a claim that is incompatible with Congress’s explicit act plus incompatible…
Young boys, children soldiers sit on February 10, 2015 lay down their arms at a ceremony of the child soldiers disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in Pibor overseen by UNICEF and partners.

Sanctions Review Fails to Review Sanctions: Congress Should Step In

US sanctions policy should account for peacebuilding and other crucial civic and development activities.
An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (commonly known as a drone) flown by 163d Attack Wing pilot Lt. Col. Paul Brockmeier, with sensor operator Master Sgt. Anthony Martinez (neither shown), views the smoky San Gabriel Mountains of southern California in transit to a fire mission in northern California, late August, 2020.

The Longest War is Over the Horizon

"The sheer number of over-the-horizon operations in the past two decades indicates significant mission creep in the war on terror."
The outside columns and relief of the US Treasury Department building in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019.

The Biden Administration’s Disappointing Sanctions Report: What Should Come Next

Last week, the Treasury Department released a long-awaited report setting forth the results of its “comprehensive review” of U.S. sanctions. To the dismay of sanctions reform…
General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III testify on the department's fiscal year 2022 budget request during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 23, 2021.

The Ballooning Biden Defense Budget

There is a bipartisan path to cut unnecessary spending in the defense budget that protects U.S. security in a cost-effective way.
National Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olsen, FBI Director James Comey, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn testify during a hearing before Senate (Select) Intelligence Committee January 29, 2014 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

20 Years After the Patriot Act, America Must End Secret Law

Of the many abuses that sprung from the Patriot Act’s toxic soil, the most pernicious and enduring is the growth of secret laws. The insistence that the government must not only…
1-12 of 2,471 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: