Bipartisan bill to restrict presidential war powers
A bipartisan group, led by Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC), has introduced an amendment to the 1973 War Powers Act that aims to reassert the Congress's role in declaring war.
Jones on the bill and why it's needed:
This bill will inject Congress into the process, so that it can meet its constitutional responsibility. We will require more reporting from the White House, and we will require more consultation with the White House. This is a bill I think will have a lot of support in Congress.[...]
This is about future wars, not Iraq. But the failed policy in Iraq has helped me understand that in behalf of the American people, in behalf of those children today that might one day be sent to war, that Congress must meet its constitutional responsibility, and this bill will help the Congress meet its responsibility.
Ron Paul (R-TX) is a co-sponsor. Plus 3 Democrats and one more Republican.
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Comments
Funny thing is the Constitution of the United States already addresses this. This country hasn't declared war on another nation since 1941, which is by design. If Congress had declared war on Iraq they'd have much more oversight. And the War Powers Act gives them oversight in non-war military action. They need to simply excercise that authority.
Posted by: Derek Phillips | October 30, 2007 9:14 AM