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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President John F. Kennedy's murderer Lee Harvey Oswald during a press conference after his arrest in Dallas.

Federal Agencies Face April Deadline on Secret JFK Files

Congress has mandated that agencies update the public on thousands of files related to the JFK assassination by April 26. Previous disclosures have been incomplete. Will agencies…
The International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, holds a press conference during her visit to look into allegations of extreme violence on May 3, 2018 in Kinshasa.

Congress Must Reform Sanctions Law to Avoid ICC Penalties from Happening Again

Reversing the sanctions the Trump administration placed on International Criminal Court leaders is not enough to prevent something like that from happening again.
The dome of the U.S. Capitol Buidling and the US flag.

Investigating a Crisis: A Comparison of Six U.S. Congressional Investigatory Commissions

A report that surveys the design, powers, and outcomes of significant congressionally created investigative commissions.
A person on a motorbikes drives next to the construction site of a new road built by the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) in Antananarivo, on October 20, 2018.

Overlooking the Policy Connections: Fragility, Democracy, and Geopolitical Competition

To reinforce global democracy and compete with rivals, the US must prevent conflict and stabilize fragile states. The issues are intertwined.
Troops stand in lines with their hands behind their backs. U.S. Special Operations Forces and Mozambican leaders stand in front of the troops giving instructions as part of a two-month Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) training program.

Getting US-Africa Relations Back on Track With a Focus on Human Rights

The Biden administration needs to ensure that solutions it offers for the continent's challenges are Africa-led, inclusive, multilateral, and multifaceted.
A folio lays and a dark surface. The front page reads, “FARA and 951 Presentation and Roundtable June 29, 2017.”

In Absence of Foreign Agents Registration Reform, DOJ Tweaks Could Make a Big Difference

Its core obligations have not been comprehensively updated since the 1960s. Until they are, the executive branch could address key shortcomings.
Trump gestures in front of a line of American flags at the "Stop The Steal" Rally on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC.

An Alternative to Impeachment: New Bill Helps Enforce Accountability for Capitol Riots

Experts explain how a new bill in Congress helps enforce accountability for federal officials who enabled the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
A medical doctor wearing a mask representing Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez takes part in a protest in Tegucigalpa on September 11, 2020, amid the new coronavirus pandemic. The doctor carries a 3-D coronavirus model in one hand and a sign in another hand.

To Combat Central America’s Bad Governance, Biden Can’t Just Throw Money at the Problem

The $4 billion in US aid will have to be carefully managed, and could be leveraged to combat the corruption and impunity that drives so many to migrate.
Trump hosts Department of Defense leadership at the White House on October 7, 2019. They pose for a picture in the Oval Office.

Race to the Top Brass

Congress is disproportionately nominating White students to the United States’ competitive military academies and, thus, continuing to cultivate a disproportionately White (and…
US Attorney General Merrick Garland addresses staff on his first day at the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC on March 11, 2021.

How Attorney General Garland Can Strengthen FOIA Implementation

Here's what Attorney General Garland's department-wide memorandum on the Freedom of Information of Act should look like.
Protestors rally against corruption in central Saint Petersburg on March 26, 2017. Numerous police or military forces in helmets watch the protestors.

Corruption Is a National Security Threat. The CROOK Act Is a Smart Way to Fight It.

A surcharge on entities liable under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could advance good governance abroad and help create a more stable world.
Smoke rises from tires burning at barricades erected by protesters after military junta forces attempted to attack them on March 16, 2021 in Yangon, Myanmar.

No Military Solutions: A New Approach to Preventing Atrocities

To be a credible proponent of peace, the US must shed destabilizing security ties and unneeded military capabilities, and invest in conflict prevention.
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