Congress Fires A Broadside

Last week the DefSec, Leon E. Panetta, responded to a question from Senator Jeff Sessions (Senate Armed Services Committee) regarding US military forces being engaged in the civil war currently raging in Syria. Panetta declared:

"Again, our goal would be to seek international permission, and we would come to the Congress and inform you, and determine how best to approach this, determine whether or not we would want to get permission from the Congress, I think those are issues we would have to discuss as we decide what to do here.

Sessions responded:

I'm almost breathless about that, because what I heard you say is, "We're going to seek international approval, and tell the Congress what we might do, and we might seek Congressional approval."

Well, Sen. Sessions was not out of breath nor was Congress out of ink.

Now Congress has just fired a shot across Obama's bows.

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112th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. CON. RES. 107

Expressing the sense of Congress that the use of offensive military force by a President without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under article II, section 4 of the Constitution.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 7, 2012

Mr. JONES submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the use of offensive military force by a President without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under article II, section 4 of the Constitution.

Whereas the cornerstone of the Republic is honoring Congress's exclusive power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that, except in response to an actual or imminent attack against the territory of the United States, the use of offensive military force by a President without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress violates Congress's exclusive power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution and therefore constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under article II, section 4 of the Constitution.


H/T to They Say We Say