Congress and the Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy

Have we entered an era of the "Imperial Congress"? How and why do members of Congress wield power on foreign policy? Does Congress undermine the national interest when it asserts itself in foreign affairs? Congress is more active in foreign policy than at any time since the 1930s, notes James Lindsay, but the important questions raised by this activism have not been fully addressed by contemporary scholars and commentators. This book offers a comprehensive examination of the role the modern Congress plays in foreign policy. It shows how the recent resurgence of congressional activism marks a return to the pattern that was once the norm in American politics. It analyzes the distribution of decision-making authority in Congress, reviews the constraints and incentives for members of Congress to become involved in foreign policy, and describes committee work, the legislative process, and other institutional structures.While previous discussions of the object have focused on congressional efforts to dictate the substance of foreign policy through legislation, Lindsay also examines the ways in which members use their control of procedure and their access to the news media to influence the executive branch, on policy matters. Lindsay challenges both those who complain about "foreign policy by Congress" and those who dismiss congressional influence as marginal. Although members of Congress challenge the White House far more than they did during the heyday of the Imperial Presidency, he argues, they do not control foreign policy. On the other hand, Lindsay notes, even when legislators fail to dictate the substance of foreign policy, they often influence it indirectly. By explaining the complex and varied ways that members of Congress make their mark in foreign affairs, Lindsay offers a broader understanding of how the United States will develop a new foreign policy for the post-Cold War world.