Politics

A brief look at the War Powers Act of 1973

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 — also called the War Powers Act — was written to limit a president’s ability to send U.S. forces into combat without lawmakers signing off. Under the law, the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of military action. Additionally, troops can’t remain engaged for more than 60 days without congressional approval. The Constitution splits war powers: Congress declares war and controls the purse. At the same time, the