there seems to be a general idea that Congress simply does not interfere with presidential war authority. For lawmakers to use the power of the purse to intercede on military operations is so unusual, the theory goes, that the very idea is to be considered extreme and suspect.
The Center for American Progress explained in a thorough, well-documented report today that this notion is simply false. Congress has repeatedly exercised its constitutionally authorized powers. Think Progress noted a sampling of the many recent examples.
December 1970. P.L. 91-652 — Supplemental Foreign Assistance Law. The Church-Cooper amendment prohibited the use of any funds for the introduction of U.S. troops to Cambodia or provide military advisors to Cambodian forces.
December 1974. P.L. 93-559 — Foreign Assistance Act of 1974. The Congress established a personnel ceiling of 4000 Americans in Vietnam within six months of enactment and 3000 Americans within one year.
June 1983. P.L. 98-43 — The Lebanon Emergency Assistance Act of 1983. The Congress required the president to return to seek statutory authorization if he sought to expand the size of the U.S. contingent of the Multinational Force in Lebanon.
June 1984. P.L. 98-525 — The Defense Authorization Act. The Congress capped the end strength level of United States forces assigned to permanent duty in European NATO countries at 324,400.
November 1993. P.L. 103-139. The Congress limited the use of funding in Somalia for operations of U.S. military personnel only until March 31, 1994, permitting expenditure of funds for the mission thereafter only if the president sought and Congress provided specific authorization.
Indeed, it’s worth noting that Republicans, when Clinton was president, used this power rather routinely.
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