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War Powers Act

Emergency2

War Powers

Bipartisan Bill Would Limit Presidential War Powers and Emergency Declarations

The bill is the most far-reaching recent proposal of its kind.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.20.2021 6:04 PM

sfphotosfour865094 | CNP/AdMedia/SIPA/Newscom

Reason Roundup

America Is Back to Bombing Syria

Plus: Remembering Steve Horwitz, Oregonians can temporarily pump their own gas, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 6.28.2021 9:45 AM

F-15

War Powers Act

The Constitution and Biden's Syria Air Strike

The strike was probably legal (as were similar small-scale strikes by Trump). But there are serious constitutional problems with the overall US military presence in Syria.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 3.2.2021 1:38 PM

Trump-waving-WH | White House

Executive Power

War Worries Transcend Trump

Even the president’s buddies understand the threat posed by the unconstrained use of military force.

Jacob Sullum | 1.15.2020 12:01 AM

sipaphotosten357091 | Erik McGregor/Sipa USA/Newscom

Reason Roundup

No War With Iran, House Tells Trump. Next Up: Finally Forbidding Military Force in Iraq?

Plus: Tarriffs are killing U.S. wine, Vermont bill would ban cell phones for kids, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.10.2020 9:35 AM

orb | Balkis Press/Sipa USA/Newscom

War

No War for Saudi Arabia

Also: Do Democrats recognize any restraint on government power?

Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Peter Suderman, and Nick Gillespie | 9.16.2019 3:30 PM

Yemen War | Giles Clark/OCHA

Volokh Conspiracy

Legal Scholars' Letter on Initiating a Congressional Lawsuit to End Illegal US Role in the Yemen War

A letter signed by a wide range of scholars with different political and jurisprudential views urges Congress to sue to end illegal US involvement in the Yemen conflict.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 6.10.2019 7:41 PM

Yemen War | Giles Clark/OCHA

Crime

Yemen, Iran, and the War Powers Act

The US role in the ongoing war in Yemen violates the War Powers Act. Reasserting Congressional power here is vital to the more general purpose of ensuring legislative control over the initiation of war.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 5.17.2019 12:44 AM

Crime

Trump's Syria Withdrawal Does Nothing to Restore Constitutional Limits on Presidential War Powers

While the Syria intervention lacked proper congressional authorization, constitutional considerations had nothing to do with Trump's withdrawal decision. Indeed, his administration has doubled down on Obama-era arguments asserting broad presidential authority to initiate military interventions.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 1.1.2019 4:33 PM

Large image on homepages | screenshot of resolution

Reason Roundup

Republican Leaders Sneak Support for Yemen War Into Farm Bill Vote: Reason Roundup

Plus: Google hearing once again reveals legislative ignorance on tech and IRS auditors target more low-income taxpayers.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 12.12.2018 9:30 AM

Large image on homepages

Rand Paul

Congress Needs to Reclaim Its War Powers, Argue Constitutional Scholars at Senate Hearing

The proposed new Corker-Kaine AUMF would give even more power to the president to wage war against whoever he wants with Congress essentially powerless to curb him.

Brian Doherty | 6.7.2018 11:30 AM

Executive Power

Originalism, Living Constitutionalism, and the Power to Initiate War

You don't have to be an originalist to conclude that the Constitution requires congressional authorization for war.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 4.14.2018 5:00 PM

Large image on homepages

Executive Power

The Constitution and Trump's Next Strike Against Syria

A small-scale strike might be constitutional even without congressional support. But it is also likely to be useless, much like last year's missile strike turned out to be. Large-scale military action of the sort that could make a real difference, requires advance congressional authorization.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 4.12.2018 4:40 PM

War

Bruce Ackerman on the Need to Rein in Unconstitutional Warmaking Before it is Too Late

A prominent constitutional law scholar highlights the perils of wars waged without congressional authorization - a practice engaged in by Obama and now perpetuated by Trump.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 12.23.2017 10:30 AM

Large image on homepages

North Korea

Trump Needs Congressional Authorization for Pre-Emptive Strike on North Korea

But Congress has to assert its role if that's to mean anything.

Ed Krayewski | 8.9.2017 12:45 PM

Large image on homepages | ISIS

ISIS

Bipartisan Group Wants Congressional War Votes on ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Yemen

A letter from a bipartisan group of representatives calls on Paul Ryan to schedule votes on AUMF resolutions.

Ed Krayewski | 2.20.2017 1:18 PM

Large image for longform feature pages. | Pete Souza

Legacy

Goodbye, Obama

The outgoing president leaves a loaded gun in the Oval Office.

Gene Healy | 1.10.2017 7:00 AM

Large image on homepages

ISIS

Obama on His Unauthorized War Against ISIS: I'm Not Hearing 'No'

The administration argues that Congress has implicitly consented to new military operations in Iraq and Syria.

Jacob Sullum | 7.13.2016 6:30 AM

Large image on homepages | Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

National Security

The Permanent Security State

Presidents come and go, but the national security bureaucracy never leaves.

Michael Glennon | 4.21.2016 6:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Reasontv

DARPA Unveils Latest Military Tech Weapon

Giving presidents the tools they need to wield the power they've already taken.

Austin Bragg and Meredith Bragg | 4.1.2016 9:09 AM

Large image on homepages | Gage Skidmore / photo on flickr

Executive Power

Ben Carson Weighs In on Limits to the President's Power

He's vaguely in favor of them because of things that Barack Obama has done.

Scott Shackford | 1.26.2016 11:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Politics

Hillary Knows Something Most Democrats Can't Admit

Debate performance illustrates that civil liberties and executive-power abuse matter mostly when Republicans run the White House

Matt Welch | 10.19.2015 10:53 AM

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Politics

Congress Seems Happy to Let Obama Wage War on ISIS Without Its Say-So

Brian Doherty | 4.16.2015 3:20 PM

Barack Obama

Obama's War on ISIS Betrays the Constitution, Asserts New York Times Op-Ed

Ronald Bailey | 9.12.2014 3:41 PM

Large image on homepages | cc

Politics

Obama's War Speech Leaves 'Basic Questions Unanswered,' Amash Slams

Zenon Evans | 9.11.2014 12:20 AM

Politics

Obama's Grotesque Flip-Flops on Congressional Authorization for War

Matt Welch | 9.10.2014 11:39 AM

Politics

Tonight on The Independents: The War on War

Matt Welch | 8.29.2014 7:49 PM

Politics

Tonight on The Independents: Red Meat Wednesday, With John Stossel, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Geraldo Rivera, and Two Minutes Hate!

Matt Welch | 8.27.2014 4:30 PM

Large image on homepages | DUCKofD3ATH / Foter / CC BY-SA

Policy

Does Somebody Need to Draw a Red Line for Our President?

Scott Shackford | 9.9.2013 6:30 PM

Large image on homepages | White House

Syria

War Powers Co-Author: President Obama Doesn't Have Authority to Strike in Syria Without Congressional Approval (So, Illegal, If That Matters)

Efforts still underway to de-escalate situation

Ed Krayewski | 9.9.2013 6:14 PM

Large image on homepages | Adrian Pingstone/Wikimedia Commons

Politics

UK Parliament Rejects Military Action in Syria; Enough to Pull US Back From Intervention?

No plan to bring Congress back to debate the issue

Ed Krayewski | 8.29.2013 6:21 PM

Policy

116 Lawmakers Say President Must Seek Congressional Approval for Syria Strike

Don't count on the president obliging

Reason Staff | 8.29.2013 2:28 PM

Policy

116 Congressmen Note That Obama Does Not Have the Authority to Launch a War Against Syria

Jacob Sullum | 8.29.2013 11:34 AM

Politics

Bipartisan Coalition Urging Obama to Seek Congressional Approval for Syrian Action

81 members of Congress have signed

Reason Staff | 8.28.2013 2:23 PM

World

Some Members of Congress Pressuring White House to Seek Congressional Authorization For Any Syria Military Action

It's a start?

Reason Staff | 8.27.2013 5:30 PM

World

The Last Time America Declared War

The U.S. declared war on Japan more than 70 years ago

Ed Krayewski | 12.8.2012 11:33 AM

Politics

President Obama Acknowledges Waging War in Somalia and Yemen in Latest War Powers Report; No End in Sight for War on Terror

Ed Krayewski | 6.18.2012 3:35 PM

Politics

A Tale of Two Conservatives

Andrew C. McCarthy wants to give the government more power; Sen. Rand Paul doesn't.

Lucy Steigerwald | 12.9.2011 1:30 PM

Politics

Secret Panel Draws up "Targeting Recommendations," Secret Memo Justifies Assassinating Them

Mike Riggs | 10.10.2011 10:45 AM

Politics

Libya, End Zone Taunting, and the Success Curse

Matt Welch | 8.22.2011 1:52 PM

Politics

A July 4th Postcard to the President

Is there a way forward for America?

Terry Michael | 7.1.2011 4:30 PM

Politics

Reason.tv: All the President's Wars—How Foreign Policy Became One Man's Prerogative

Zach Weissmueller | 6.22.2011 3:00 PM

Politics

Reason.tv: All The President's Wars—How Foreign Policy Became One Man's Prerogative

Zach Weissmueller | 6.22.2011 10:30 AM

Politics

Toothless Congress Gripes About Lawless War

Tim Cavanaugh | 6.3.2011 5:47 PM

Politics

Libya: NATO Takes Lead, Americans Do 65% of Work

Tim Cavanaugh | 5.26.2011 11:38 AM

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