Congress's Role In Foreign Policy Making Essay

In the United States, the executive branch of government is comprised of the President, Vice President, and the Cabinet. In addition to acting as the head of government the President acts as the Commander-in-Chief and the head of state. Article II of the Constitution established the general responsibilities and limits of the President. However, over time the power in the hands of the chief executive has expanded. While the United States executive branch, more specifically the President, has a substantial amount of power democracy is still upheld.

The President of the United States is often considered the most powerful elected official in the world. The President leads a nation of great wealth and military strength. Presidents have often provided decisive leadership in times of crisis, and they have shaped many important events in history. The President has many roles and performs many duties. As chief executive, the President makes sure that federal laws are enforced. As commander in chief of the nation's armed forces, the President is responsible for national defense. As foreign policy director, the President determines United States relation with other nations. As legislative leader, the President recommends new laws and works to win their passage. As

The President’s recent actions to send troops to Poland and Lithuania to defend our NATO allies has led to questions regarding the constitutionality of such action and the role congress plays in crafting American foreign policy. It is very important to understand these questions and the debates that surround them are not new to our nation. In fact, two of our nations most important founders, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, debated the balance of congressional and presidential power in foreign affairs all the way back in 1793. Similarly, the need to defend our NATO allies is nothing new. As Russia looks to expand its “sphere of influence” and return to its Cold War Self; we must ensure that our military and our NATO allies have the

Under this article, Congress has the right to make and change any laws. It also has the right to “appropriate funds for the implementation of any law”. Congress provides for the “nation defense and general welfare of the United States” as well as declaring war. Congress is able to regulate commerce with foreign nations. It is also able to use it’s “implied powers” which allows for it to create laws that are necessary to be able to do other responsibilities. In the book, McCormick describes that Constitutional scholar Louis Henkin has argued that Congress has more power than what is listed in the Constitution. Hekin describes these powers as being able to regulate and protect “the conduct of foreign relations and foreign diplomatic activities in the United States”. This means that Congress is able to make or modify laws regarding immigration, the regulation of aliens, the authorization of international commitments and the extradition of citizens to other states. Congress is able to be involved in foreign policy as they control

Presidential Powers - The office of President of the United States is one of the most powerful in the world. The president, the Constitution says, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." To carry out this responsibility, he or she presides over the executive branch of the federal government a vast organization numbering several million people and in addition has important legislative and judicial powers.

The Executive branch has the power to command the Armed Forces, deal with other international powers and many more. The Legislative Branch is lead by the Congress which includes the House of Representative and the Senate. The purpose of these two bodies is to make laws. This specific branch has the power to pass laws, approve treaties and originate the spending bills. Lastly the Judicial branch is lead by the Supreme Court, this branch has the power to review and evaluate laws, interpret the Constitution and decide the cases involving the state’s rights. Those 3 branches are another part that makes up the American Government. Checks and Balances was a system built into the Constitution because of the creation of the 3 branches. This system was assembled so that each of the three branches of government would need each other in order

Foreign Policies are influenced and created by two branches, executive and legislative. The U.S. Constitution put this delegation of power into place. Foreign Policy determines how the U.S. will network with other countries and has been a large factor in our history since implemented. The process of the policy is not always the simplest; it has caused tensions and angst between Congress and the President through the years. A discrepancy between the two branches was and is not uncommon, yet the relationship between the two is indefinite. Each division has responsibilities and its own appointed power over the making of policies and bills. There are checks and balances to the process, where the President can veto a proposal by legislation

Kupchan and Trubowitz, Moravesik, and Zegart, all observe, from different angles, the problems in the way the U.S.’s divided government approaches foreign policy, ultimately pleading for a change in both the way decisions are made and actions are taken in order to preserve the U.S.’s influence and role within the international community.

Under the Constitution, three major branches were created the legislative, the executive, and the judicial branch. The legislature creates laws, the executive executes the laws and the judicial branch interprets the laws. With each branch having different powers no one branch can be tainted and then abuse its governmental powers. The statement of the checks and balances answered the concern that the government would become too powerful. With checks and balances, the government can only become as powerful as the people will allow. This fundamental plan also creates safeguards against the event of a president becoming a dictator. The argument about the system of checks and balances proves to be a system designed to protect the people of America from the government.

How does public opinion, presidential patronage, iron triangles, the distribution of power within congress, and whether the presidents agenda involves, foreign or domestic policy affect the president's ability to mobilize congressional support for his programs and bills? Are these relations between the president and congress showing signs of support towards elite or popular democracy? These are the questions brought to light in this paper and each factor will be discussed as to why these functions operate as they currently do. Without congressional approval the president is helpless as to his power to but a bill or a proposal into law. Therefore, it is mandatory for the president to gain

From the time Pilgrims first landing in a new country that now call America, Englishman has started diplomacy with the Indian tribes. The English colonies dealt with other nations and signed trade and agreement years by years to keep peace and treaty. One of the key beliefs formed in this period, which the United States was a nation set apart and an example to the world, is almost as old as English colonization. John Winthrop’s has guided American diplomacy from the revolutionary era to the present. Winthrop said: “We shall be as a City upon a Hill, and the eyes of all people are upon us.” (McMahon pg. 3) A country’s foreign policy is the endless of decades of effort intended to response the needs of a nation, both domestic and international. The presidents derive their authorized power which are stated in the Constitution, those powers are; chief executive, commander in chief of the armed forces, and head of state. While Congress consisting of two parties: the House of Representative and the Senate has the power to investigate and oversee the executive branch. Which mean the Congress is very important as one of the three branch.

Formulation and implementation of foreign policy in the United States is a process enshrined in the constitution. The extent to which the executive or the legislative arms of the government can control, direct and influence the foreign policy while purporting to protect the American people interests is spelt out in the united states constitution. However, overtime, the provisions of the law has been a source of conflict on the application of these powers.

From the signing of the declaration to the election of President Barack Obama, America has faced both change and adversity. For better or worse, the United States has dealt with these obstacles, many times putting foreign policy first and saving domestic issues for a later time. When it comes to foreign policy, America strives for the following: to preserve the national security of the United States, to promote world peace, to maintain a balance of power amongst nations, and to spread democratic values as well as human rights (Hixson). Throughout history, the

The Role of the President is multifaceted he is both the head of state and head of The United States government, he is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The term of office is 8 years and a President may not serve more than 2 terms. Article 2 of the Constitution of the United States of America deems that the President is Head of State, responsible for execution as well as enforcement of laws which are created by Congress. The president has the power to sign legislation into law and human also veto any bill and acted by Congress. Executive orders and appointments of heads of federal agencies, are also issued by the President, who may also issue pardons and grant clemency’s to individuals who have committed federal crimes, except in The case of impeachments.

In this module we have study modifications to the way Congress and the President do business. The Constitution lists specific duties for Congress to attend to; it is a little vaguer when assigning duties to the President. It is up to both of these institutions to best determine how to accomplish these duties. The major theme of this module is change, the addition of offices under the President and the modifications to the power distribution within the Congress to help better and sometimes hinder these institutions in accomplishing their duties.