What role does Congress play in American foreignpolicy and what role does the president play? Do these rolesensure a balance of power between the legislative and theexecutive in the area of foreign policy? Why or why not?
What role does Congress play in American foreign
policy and what role does the president play? Do these roles
ensure a balance of power between the legislative and the
executive in the area of foreign policy? Why or why not?
There has always been a debate regarding the separation of powers in the case of the role of Congress and the President over foreign policies and affairs. The Constitution of the United States grants the foreign policies powers to both the executive and legislative bodies. Some powers are granted exclusively to the President like command of the military and other powers such as the regulation of foreign commerce to the Congress. According to some scholars of foreign policy, the executive branch has acquired more powers in regard to foreign affairs as in the case of a national emergency the executive branch tends to override the legislature.
The Congress has been assigned with certain powers regarding the foreign policies of the U.S. Article I of the Constitution of the United States grants Congress, the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, declare war, raise and support armies, provides and maintain a navy as well as make rules for the government and to regulate land and naval forces. Only two of the foreign affairs powers of the President are vested in the approval of the Senate, that is, making treaties and appointing diplomats. Congress has the power to review the budgets and programs of vast military and diplomatic bureaucracies. It is also vested with the authority to conduct investigations into certain foreign policy or such notions containing national security issues.
Article II of the Constitution of the United States, enumerates the role, powers, and authority of the President in regard to foreign affairs and policies. The President has the power to appoint ambassadors and make treaties with the consent of the Senate. For other foreign policy actions, the President relies on other clauses to support their actions on a foreign policy. The role of commander of the military or the commander-in-chief of the army and navy are the implicit powers of the President. Certain statutory authorities are presented to the President by the Congress, by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in 1977 which provides the President the power to impose economic sanctions on foreign agencies.
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