Congress Aims to Take Back Constitutional War Powers

[kpete]

Congress Aims to Take Back Constitutional War Powers

Wednesday 14 January 2009

by: Maya Schenwar, t r u t h o u t | Report

Out of Iraq caucus press conference.

Rep. Barbara Lee, shown here addressing the media, has introduced legislation that would reaffirm Congress's role in shaping war policy. (Photo: Getty Images)

As America anticipates the official arrival of the Obama presidency on January 20, the power grabs and ballooning executive privileges of the Bush administration may seem far behind us. However, staving off the normalization of those abuses has remained at the forefront of several Congress members' legislative agendas.

Congress took little initiative to rein in Bush's excesses throughout his administration, and now, some members worry that his vast expansion of executive powers could set a dangerous precedent for generations to come. Unless Congress formally rejects Bush's generous interpretation of the role of the president, they say, the system of checks and balances could be permanently disrupted. Foremost on the list is one of Bush's most blatant unilateral actions: his recent signing, with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, of the US-Iraq security pact without consulting Congress. The pact could keep US troops in Iraq until the end of 2011.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California) has introduced - and soon plans to reintroduce - a resolution that would delegitimize the Bush-Maliki security agreement in the eyes of Congress, according to a spokeswoman for Lee's office. It would also reaffirm Congress's role in the formation of war policy.

"(The security pact) is a seriously flawed agreement which illustrates perfectly the necessity of Congressional review and approval of any agreement concerning the United States Armed Forces and the security of Iraq," said Lee in a statement on the resolution. "An agreement to commit American troops to the defense and security of another country is a major commitment that must have the support of the American people, which can only be reflected by the Congress of the United States."

more at:
http://www.truthout.org/011409J

[madokie]

1. Should never have let two bottom feeding tinhorn despots like the dick and w

wrestle it out of their grasp to start with, if you ask me. Most everybody in the country knew that neither of them were good men either, to top it all off.

[anonymous171]

2. Suddenly everyone cares about the rule of law.

Makes me wonder if Bush Co. actually was threatening them.

[navarth]

3. yep

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Yup, only Republickers are allowed to have totalitarian powers n/t

[SpiralHawk]

5. Years too late...

Why, why, why did they let Commander AWOL Bush, VP Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney, and a Cabal O'Republicon Chickenhawks deliberately lie America into a Oil-Profits Crusade that has FAILED in every respect, except generating massive War Profits for Republicon cronies?

[Lasher]

6. Look, the cattle have escaped.

Better hurry and close the barn door.

[Solly Mack]

7. "and now"