Its intention is not to support our ally but to kill this bill through a cynical and dishonest tactic,” Mr. Hoyer said as Democrats stood and applauded. Those powers, created in the wake of the Vietnam War, have almost never been used, as lawmakers have demurred from intervening in politically sensitive matters of war, peace and support for the troops. “When we started talking with folks about doing this, they basically laughed it off,” said Stephen Miles, the director of Win Without War, an advocacy coalition that lobbied for the resolution. “They said it wouldn’t happen; Congress doesn’t ever invoke the War Powers Act. “We are clawing back our constitutional responsibilities,” said Representative Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts.

Source: New York Times April 04, 2019 16:10 UTC