Congressional War Powers after Libya

CAPITOL HILL BRIEFING
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Noon (Lunch Included)

Featuring Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY), Member, House Armed Services Committee; and John Samples, Director, Center for Representative Government, Cato Institute; moderated by Laura Odato, Manager, Government Affairs, Cato Institute.

B-340 Rayburn House Office Building

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The United States' engagement in Libya led to the overthrow of the Qaddafi regime. President Obama declared and conducted the war in Libya with little regard for Congress or the War Powers Act, with the acquiescence, if not the approval, of Congress. Does war in Libya mark a final transfer of the power to declare limited wars to the executive? Should Congress seek to recover its constitutional authority to declare war in cases like Libya? If so, what might Congress do to recover those powers? Please join us for a lively discussion of a central constitutional question.

For recent published work on this topic, see: "Congress Surrenders the War Powers: Libya, the United Nations, and the Constitution," by John Samples.

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