The constitution of the United States clearly outlines the powers on foreign relations on the legislative and executive branches. The constitution has granted powers exclusively to the president like commander-in-chief while other powers have been granted to the congress like foreign commerce regulation (Clinton et.al, 2012). Accumulation of power by the president is at the expense of the congress as in times of national emergency or war, the legislature tends to be eclipsed by the executive branch. The Congress has been granted a number of powers on foreign affairs by Article I of the constitution. The congress can support and raise armies, regulation of foreign nation commerce, declaring war, regulation of the forces of the land and navy as well as formulation of rules and policies for the government. Additionally, the congress’s approval is necessary in two of the foreign affairs powers of the president, which are appointment of diplomats and making of treaties.
The congress has the power to draw funds from the treasury, collect taxes and formulate laws which are reasonable and necessary. The congress also have the role to oversee where during the process of annual appropriations, congressional committees are allowed to make detailed programs and budget reviews of diplomatic bureaucracies and the military (Sylvester, 2013). The congress has the power to sign off on federal spending every year that is more than a trillion dollars as well as regulate on how the money is going to be spent. In addition, the congress has the power to carry out investigations concerning the foreign policy.
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The powers of the president in foreign policy is rooted in the constitution’s Article II. The president has the power to appoint ambassadors as well as get into treaties only with the consent and advice of the congress. The president has the advantage of greater control over information compared to the congress. This is because the president has the accessibility to sensitive and firsthand information on foreign policy as they have close ties to the state and defense department while White House officials get briefed daily by the state of defense unlike the congress. The president has the leadership advantage since foreign relation is most at times based on government to government contacts. It is because someone in the government needs to have the authority to make contact yet the congress does not have that authority.
The president does not entirely have the freedom to take the nation to war while the congress has significant power and authority to control policies by the president if need be (Willie, 2010). It the only the congress that has the authority to raise and give power to the military to modify or delay war plans. The congress dismiss the president’s decision to authorize a war through cutting off military funds gradually or at once. It can as well decide to eliminate units or reduce military size if the president takes his own action to declare a war without their consent. The constitution formulates a presidency that is forcefully accountable and answerable which as a result prevents threats that are serious to national security.
I would not propose any changes to the constitutional powers of the congress and the president. I suggest so because I believe the powers and restrictions given to both of them allows moderation of ones responsibilities and restriction of boundaries and rules one is not supposed to cross.
References
Clinton, J. D., Bertelli, A., Grose, C. R., Lewis, D. E., & Nixon, D. C. (2012). Separated powers in the United States: The ideology of agencies, presidents, and congress. American Journal of Political Science, 56(2), 341-354.
Sylvester, C. (2013). Experiencing the end and afterlives of International Relations/theory. European Journal of International Relations, 19(3), 609-626.
Wille, A. (2010). Political–bureaucratic accountability in the EU Commission: modernising the executive. West European Politics, 33(5), 1093-1116.
