Chapter 6: Congress in Foreign Policy

6.1: Constitutional Foundations of Congress in Foreign Policy

• Constitutional Powers of Congress
  • Only congress has the power to declare war
  • Congress has the power of purse
  • Senate and Treaties
• The party that holds more congressional power has the power to hold hostage to any and all treaties that a president wants/establishes
• Stealth Multinationalism allows presidents to work under far senate rejection
  • Efforts by presidents to work around the refusal of the senate by simply acting as through the united states were part of an accord
  • President can still follow all of mandates of a unified treaty
  • President can attend meetings and allocate monetary support
  • Non-Binding Agreement
    • International Agreement short of treaty that does not need senate approval

6.2 The War Powers

• US has not officially declared war since WWII
• Lots of disapproval when a mission/operation goes badly, this was at a peak during Vietnam War
  • Congress divided to act with War Powers Act
    • Vetoed by Nixon, passed regardless
      • Argued that this act was unconstitutional b/c it was infringing on the rights of the president 
      • View by every other president as unconstitutional due to violation of separation of powers
      • Gives Congress more power

6.3 Congressional Oversight

• Institutions are the rules that structure how two individuals or groups with contending interests reach a collective balance
• Congress does not want to get involved since their name is on the line
• Some criticize the president for not doing more, congressional officials however will take a more moderate approach to win votes all throughout