war powers

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House Votes to Limit Trump's Military Actions

A similar measure awaits in the Senate

(Newser) - Reigniting a debate over who has the power to declare war, the Democratic-controlled House on Thursday approved a resolution asserting that President Trump must seek approval from Congress before engaging in further military action against Iran. The war powers resolution is not binding on the president and would not require...

2 GOP Senators Run Afoul of Trump Allies

Fox's Lou Dobbs likens Mike Lee to Benedict Arnold over the senator's Iran criticism

(Newser) - After the White House briefed senators Wednesday on the decision to kill Iran's top commander , it was no big surprise that Democrats voiced criticism at the rationale. A bit more surprising was the criticism from two Republican senators, Mike Lee and Rand Paul. Lee in particular was heated. "...

Obama Unites Parties ... Against His Libya Evasions

It's time for him to obey the War Powers Resolution

(Newser) - President Obama has finally gotten Democrats and Republicans to agree on something. Unfortunately for him, it’s their distaste for his “odd stand on the Libyan war’s legality,” a Washington Times editorial observes. With this resolution , Congress told the president that his present stance on Libya—that...

GOP Spikes Bill to End Libya Conflict...

...Because they're afraid Kucinich's resolution could pass

(Newser) - House GOP leaders canceled a vote on a Dennis Kucinich resolution to end the conflict in Libya today, because they were afraid lawmakers would actually vote for the thing. John Boehner “is concerned that if this were to come to the floor now, it would pass,” one senior...

Lawmakers: Obama Breaking the Law in Libya

He's quietly blown by 60-day deadline for Congress' approval

(Newser) - Rumblings are growing in Congress about President Obama’s failure to get congressional approval for the military operation in Libya, the Washington Post observes. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Obama needs congressional approval for a military action within 60 days of launching it, but that deadline came and...

Obama Legal Team Can't Decide on Detention Rules

Administration dodges big question in War on Terror

(Newser) - The Obama administration’s legal team can’t decide who it can and can’t detain indefinitely without trial, with interviews and legal briefs revealing deep internal disagreement. President Obama doesn’t subscribe to George W. Bush’s view of presidential detention powers as essentially unlimited, so his Justice Department...

Detainees, Once Acquitted, May Still Die at Gitmo

Like Bush, Obama administration argues for indefinite detention

(Newser) - Detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and other military prisons may not be freed even if a US commission acquits them of all charges, an Obama administration official testified yesterday. The Defense Department rep told a Senate committee that detainees would be assessed on an individual basis and that prisoners might...

War Power Must Be Jointly Held
War Power Must Be Jointly Held
OPINION

War Power Must Be Jointly Held

Ex-State chiefs propose bill requiring Congress, prez to have defined, cooperative roles

(Newser) - Calling the current system “ineffective at best and unconstitutional at worst,” two former Secretaries of State propose a sweeping update of law governing powers to declare war—whereby the president would be required to seek permission from Congress for “significant armed conflict” (lasting more than a week)....

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