[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 145 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H11012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONSTITUTIONAL WAR POWERS RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week I 
introduced H.J. Res. 53, the Constitutional War Powers Resolution. 
Today, every Member of Congress received a Dear Colleague letter on 
this resolution. I hope that all Members and their staffs will take the 
time to review this legislation.
  Too many times, this Congress has abdicated its constitutional duty 
by allowing Presidents to overstep their executive authority. Our 
Constitution states that, while the Commander in Chief has the power to 
conduct wars, only Congress has the power to authorize war.
  As threats to international peace and security continue to evolve, 
the Constitutional War Powers Resolution rededicates Congress to its 
primary constitutional role of deciding when to use force abroad.
  In 1793, James Madison said: ``The power to declare war, including 
the power of judging the causes of war, is fully and exclusively vested 
in the legislature. The executive has no right, in any case, to decide 
the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.'' And 
that was James Madison, 1793.
  The Framers of our Constitution sought to decentralize the war powers 
of the United States and construct a balance between the political 
branches. Because this balance has been too often ignored throughout 
American history, the Constitutional War Powers Resolution seeks to 
establish a clear national policy for today's post-9/11 world.
  The War Powers Resolution of 1973 aimed to clarify the intent of the 
constitutional Framers and to ensure that Congress and the President 
share in the decisionmaking process in the event of armed conflict. 
Yet, since the enactment of the resolution, time and again Presidents 
have maintained that the resolution's consultation reporting and 
congressional authorization requirements are unconstitutional obstacles 
to executive authority.
  By more fully clarifying the war powers of the President and the 
Congress, the Constitutional War Powers Resolution improves upon the 
War Powers Resolution of 1973 in a number of ways. It clearly spells 
out the powers that the Congress and the President must exercise 
collectively, as well as the defensive measures that the Commander in 
Chief may exercise without congressional authority.
  It also provides a more robust reporting requirement that would 
enable Congress to be more informed and have greater oversight. This 
resolution is the result of the dedicated work of the Constitutional 
Project and its War Powers Initiative. And it protects and preserves 
the checks and balances the Framers intended in the decision to bring 
our Nation into war.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope many of my colleagues will consider cosponsoring 
this legislation. It is time for Congress to meet its constitutional 
duty, and it is long overdue.
  And with that, Mr. Speaker, before I yield back my time, I want to 
ask God to continue to bless our men and women in uniform and to bless 
their families, and for God to continue to bless America.

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