washington/jefferson star
  abraham lincoln
government foundations government institutions political behavior public policy home  
 
       
government institutions
 
congress
the presidency
bureaucracy
the judiciary
 
 
global resources
citizen's survival guide
in the news
thinking globally, acting locally
current events quiz
english/spanish glossary
site map
 
For the Record: InfoTrac Reader© on Congress
 
The Power of Congress

The Constitution separates governmental power, distributing it among the three branches of government and giving the branches power over each other. But the nature of this power equation changes over time. In what ways has Congress sought to increase its power in recent years? In what ways has President Bush acted to increase the power of the White House at the expense of Congress? In what ways have federal courts affected the powers of Congress? What are arguments for and against curtailing or extending Congress’ powers in specific areas?

Here are some articles to get you started. Find them through Keyword searches. Go to InfoTrac.

For more articles on this subject, enter:

"United States Congress" into the Subject Guide, and then go to Subdivision "Powers and Duties."

"United States Congress" into the Subject Guide, and then go to Subdivision "Investigations."

Congress goes AWOL. (War In Iraq). John Isaacs. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists May-June 2003 v59 i3 p20(3) (1474 words)

Probing 9/11: a bipartisan commission is at work, but how tough it will be is still unknown. (Articles). (9/11 Commission investigates lead-up to terrorist acts) David Corn. The Nation July 7, 2003 v277 i1 p14 (2118 words)

Never again. (Comment). (criticism of Congress to relinquish war authorization authority) Bruce Ackerman. The American Prospect May 2003 v14 i5 p24(1)

DECLARATIONS. (congressional approval of war declarations) Hendrik Hertzberg. The New Yorker Sept 30, 2002 pNA Mag.Coll.: 111L0935.

Eternal war declared. (Devil In The Details). The American Prospect Sept 23, 2002 v13 i17 p6(2)

The law: defending Congress's interests in court: how lawmakers and the President bargain over Department of Justice representation. (Features). Neal Devins. Presidential Studies Quarterly March 2002 v32 i1 p157(12)

Locating the boundaries: the scope of Congress's power to regulate Commerce. Robert H. Bork, Daniel E. Troy. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy Summer 2002 v25 i3 p849(45)

Holding Pattern - Why Congress must stop Ashcroft's alien detentions. (Attorney General John Ashcroft) Jeffrey Rosen. The New Republic Dec 10, 2001 p16 Mag.Coll.: 109K0313.

Trial by Fury - Why Congress must curb Bush's military courts. Laurence Tribe. The New Republic Dec 10, 2001 p18 Mag.Coll.: 109K0315.

Congress as culprit: how lawmakers spurred on the Court's anti-Congress crusade. (U.S. Supreme Court, return to pre-New Deal Constitution) Neal Devins. Duke Law Journal Oct 2001 v51 i1 p435(30)

"Appropriate" means-ends constraints on Section 5 powers. Evan H. Caminker. Stanford Law Review May 2001 v53 i5 p1127

An Out-of-Control Court. (Brief Article) HERMAN SCHWARTZ. The Nation March 26, 2001 v272 i12 p6 Mag.Coll.: 106M0307.

The War Powers Resolution: A Rationale for Congressional Inaction. TIMOTHY S. BOYLAN, GLENN A. PHELPS. Parameters Spring 2001 v31 i1 p109

The Law: Controversy: Demise of the War Clause. DAVID MERVIN. Presidential Studies Quarterly Dec 2000 v30 i4 p770

Virtues of the War Clause. DAVID GRAY ADLER. Presidential Studies Quarterly Dec 2000 v30 i4 p777

The Coming Ascent Of Congress. JOHN J. PITNEY JR.. Policy Review April 2000 p3

Devolution: Congress Doesn't 'Walk the Walk'. Michael Grunwald. State Legislatures Jan 2000 v26 i1 p32

Shared constitutional interpretation. (role of Congress in determining meaning of the Constitution) Michael C. Dorf, Barry Friedman. Supreme Court Review Annual 2000 p61

Unilateral Action and Presidential Power: A Theory. TERRY M. MOE, WILLIAM G. HOWELL. Presidential Studies Quarterly Dec 1999 v29 i4 p850

The imperial judiciary ... and what Congress can do about it. (problems with the doctrine of judicial review) Edwin Meese, Rhett DeHart. Policy Review Jan-Feb 1997 n81 p54(7)

The unpredictable court. (U.S. Supreme Court limits congressional power) David G. Savage. State Legislatures Sept 1996 v22 n8 p31(3)

The out-of-control presidency. (expansion of executive power)(Cover Story) Michael Lind. The New Republic August 14, 1995 v213 n7 p18(6) Mag.Coll.: 80E0159.

Congressional checks on military initiatives. Louis Fisher. Political Science Quarterly Winter 1994 v109 n5 p739(24)

Whose bureaucracy is this, anyway? Congress, the President and public administration. (The 1993 John Gaus Lecture) Francis E. Rourke. PS: Political Science & Politics Dec 1993 v26 n4 p687(6)