Congress
683 Articles
A Cult of Rules: The Origins of Legalism in the Surveillance State
Editor’s note: this post is a preview of ideas raised in an upcoming article by the author, Intelligence Legalism and the National Security Agency’s Civil Liberties Gap,…
The Wrong (and Right) Lessons Re: Congressional Inaction on ISIL
Editors’ Note: The following post is the fifth installment of a new feature, “Monday Reflections,” in which a different Just Security editor will take an…
It’s Time to Pass the USA Freedom Act—Warts and All
Thirteen years after 9/11, the United States Congress appeared poised to begin the long overdue process of reining-in the intelligence establishment’s runaway surveillance practices.…
War: What is it good for? 20 ISIL Questions for Congress
We still don’t know if Congress will even vote on providing new and specific authorization for a military campaign in Iraq and Syria. Thankfully, responsible members of Congress…
Obama’s ISIL Legal Rollout: Bungled, Clearly. But Illegal? Really?
Editors’ Note: The following post is the fourth installment of a new feature, “Monday Reflections,” in which a different Just Security editor will take a…
Is Credible Vetting of the Syrian Opposition for Human Rights Abuses Possible?
Tucked inside the continuing resolution the United States Congress passed late last week was a provision to authorize the training and equipping of “moderate, vetted” elements…
Unwilling or Unable: A Roundup of Just Security’s Debate on the Legality of Airstrikes Inside Syria
While it was only last night that the United States and five Arab nations began air strikes against ISIL and the al-Qaeda-linked Khorasan group inside Syria, Just Security has…
National Security and the 2014 Midterms:
A Preview of Monday’s CQ Roll Call / Just Security Event
This Tuesday marks the first anniversary of the launch of Just Security. To help celebrate our first year, we’re co-sponsoring an event tomorrow with CQ Roll Call on the…
Congress Appropriates Funds for President to Train Syrian Opposition
This week, Congress passed a continuing resolution for the fiscal year 2015, H.J. Res. 214, with a roll call of 78-22 in the Senate and 319-108 in the House. [Text, PDF.] Section…
The Bells of September
This September 11th, I traveled with my little boy down the tree-lined beauty of Savannah to Reynolds Square where, amidst the draped Spanish Moss, historic Christ Church rang…
Presidential Authority to Conclude an Iran Nuclear Agreement—and the Senate’s Self-Defeating Bill
The prospect of a successful conclusion to the ongoing negotiations with Iran over a nuclear deal promises to generate a debate over fundamental constitutional questions about…
Impact(s) of the Boehner Lawsuit on the Separation of Powers in National Security
While there have been countless articles written on the House efforts to sue President Obama, few commentators have opined on the likely impact(s) of the House lawsuit on national…