Congress and Foreign Policy and Control of the Executive

Résumé du document

A Foreign Policy aims at finding how to expand the country into what territories through tactics of national interests, how to create and maintain a favorable international order, and how to protect democratic values at home and abroad.In the US, both the President and the Congress share these responsibilities. How are the powers balanced? Which institution is the more powerful over foreign affairs?After an analysis of the structures of the Congress in terms of foreign policy in the 1st part, answers will be given to these issues in the 2nd part.In addition to the control of the Congress in terms of foreign policy, it will be interesting to develop its control over the Executive at every levers of governance.In what way the Congress can control the President? Which means does it use and in which branches? Last but not least, which restrictions can it face? These issues

Extraits

[...] Which means does it use and in which branches? Last but not least, which restrictions can it face? These issues will be answered in the last part. Congress and Foreign Policy The division of Foreign Policy in the USA The United States Constitution of 1787 divides foreign policy powers between the President and the Congress so that both share in the making of foreign policy. It provides the President with relatively few enumerated albeit important - powers in foreign policy: The article II gives him the powers to make treaties with other countries, to appoint ambassadors to other countries (both with consent of the Senate) to receive ambassadors from other countries and to be commander-inchief of the military, which gives him or her a lot of control over how the United States interacts with the world ARTICLE II SECTION 2 OF THE CONSTITUTION The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he However, the Congress remained the beneficiary of considerable authority in the realm of foreign affairs. [...]

[...] That war permitted the Congress to control the actions of the Executive more closely and to gain more prestige and respect. Indeed, American citizens, whose reactions to war were chaotic, found in the Congress an institutional expression However, the balance of powers between the President and the Congress over foreign affairs makes sometimes the Congress weaker like for the declaration of war to Iraq, which has been taken by Bush almost without consent of the Legislative branch. A bipartisan spirit prevailed as the committee confronted the perils of the Cold War (1945-1991). [...]

[...] If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office. Senate Committees and every committee belongs to a specific branch (from Agriculture to Finance or Education). Budget process The appropriation powers belong to the Congress alone. The Constitution states that money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law The exclusive power to originate tax bills is reserved for the House of Representatives7. Moreover, it also has the responsibilities of funding funds in terms of foreign policy. [...]

[...] When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present. Bibliography Literature Western, Jon: Selling Intervention and War. The Presidency, the Media, and the American Public Std-Nr. A 4.2 .1.-28 -Lesesaal Sinclair, The Transformation of the US. [...]

[...] This is what happened with the decision to go to war in Iraq. But somehow, one should not forget that the American Congress is almost the only one in the world to be allowed to take decision in terms of war. More theoretical, the fact that the Congress does not vote for the President, far from making it less powerful, makes it more powerful. Representatives and Senators can then vote on proposed laws without worrying that their votes will cause the government collapse and without fearing that a failure to support their party will lead to their removal from the ballot in the next election ARTICLE 1 SECTION The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment. [...]