War Powers Resolution
48 Articles

The Trump Administration’s Flawed War Powers Report on Iran and the Need for a Congressional Rebuttal
The White House’s legal justifications for attacking Iran are unconvincing and raise concerns about unauthorized use of force. Congress should push back.

The Day After U.S. Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Program: A Policy and Legal Assessment
An expert policy and legal assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and what comes next.

Top Experts’ Backgrounder: Military Action Against Iran and US Domestic Law
Experts who advised a president on use of force answer a full range of basic questions on the conditions under which action against Iran would be lawful, and what options Congress…

The Just Security Podcast: A Human Rights Law Returns to Spark Debate on U.S. Arms Sales
Joining the show to unpack how Section 502B works, along with its history and new efforts to use it, is John Chappell.

Regional Conflict in the Middle East and the Limitations of the War Powers Resolution
The involvement of U.S. armed forces in hostilities in this tinderbox—without congressional authorization—should spur the legislative branch into action, including to enact…

National Security at the United Nations This Week (Nov. 13-17)
A UN Security Council resolution on the Israel-Hamas war, US airstrikes in Syria and Article 51 implications, ICJ elections, and more.

Analyzing Previously Undisclosed Use of Force Reports: Challenges of Congressional Oversight of the War on Terror
The executive branch, through noncompliance and defiance, has delayed providing Congress with sufficient information on the war on terror.

How the Expansion of “Self-Defense” Has Undermined Constraints on the Use of Force
Legal Scholar Oona Hathaway examines how expansive U.S. interpretations of "self-defense" have shaped international law.

Renewed Tensions in the Persian Gulf: Further War Powers Lessons from the Tanker War
The possibility of unilateral use of force spiraling into conflict in the Middle East should generate a sense of urgency on Capitol Hill for tackling war powers reform.

Recovering a Role for the Courts in Decisions to Wage War: How Congress Can Overcome the Political Question Doctrine (Some of the Time)
Congress should consider when and how the laws it enacts will be enforced and take steps to empower members of Congress to effectively challenge illegal wars in court.

A Long-Forgotten Law Could Force the U.S. to Re-Evaluate its Relationship with Saudi Arabia
Section 502B(c) is a potent tool to accelerate congressional oversight of support to countries with concerning human rights records.

Policy Alert: Iran-U.S. Hostilities Ratcheting Up in Syria
Tensions between Iran and the United States are escalating again following tit-for-tat hostilities in Syria.