War Powers
104 Articles

Questions for Senators (and Journalists) to Ask Secretary of State Nominee Marco Rubio
Experts suggest questions for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's confirmation hearing for Trump's pick for Secretary of State, Sen. Marco Rubio.

National Security Resilience and Reform: Trump 2.0 and Beyond
Beginning a national security reform process is not just necessary, but urgently demanded to break inertia and launch a new dynamic.

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…

Key Takeaways from September 28 House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on AUMF Reform
The HFAC hearing clarified the shallowness of the Biden administration’s conception of AUMF reform, divisions between the political branches and within the House, and the risks…

Questions for Congress to Ask the Biden Administration at the AUMF Hearing
Congress should seek to determine how the executive branch interprets and relies on the 2001 AUMF and where the administration stands on proposed reforms that have been widely…

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.

DeSantis Campaign’s Border Proposal Raises Separation of Powers Concerns
Florida governor and U.S. presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has proposed action that would flout constitutional and statutory limits.

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.

Congress Should Limit, Not Expand, Irregular Warfare Authority
Section 1202 of the NDAA is an overbroad authority that risks widening the aperture for U.S. forces to engage in and direct combat in unauthorized, foreign wars.

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.