Checking in with Congress: Foreign Policy Oversight

One of Congress’ main functions is to provide a check over the executive branch of government. Our Constitution grants Congress the power to oversee and investigate The White House via several avenues: the power of the purse, the power to organize the executive branch, the power to make laws, the powers of impeachment and confirmation, and the power of investigation and inquiry.

Sometimes, Congress will pass a law that clarifies its oversight role in a specific instance. Such a law was passed at the beginning of October, 2006.

New rules

In the 2007 Defense Authorization Bill, Congress gave itself more power to oversee the president’s foreign policies toward Iran and North Korea.

More specifically, the president would be required to report twice a year on North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs as well as give details on any new Iran policies. The bill also compels the Director of National Intelligence to send Congress updated intelligence estimates on Iran.

The president and director are not required to inform Congress before they make a foreign policy decision, but they must keep Congress posted of policy strategies and changes relating to Iran and North Korea.

The final bill passed in the Senate with unanimous consent and in the House 398-23. The overwhelming support of the bill reflects lawmakers’ need to reauthorize the defense budget, but legislators on both sides of the aisle supported the provision for additional oversight.

Why North Korea and Iran?

North Korea has violated its own moratorium on missile testing. Beginning in mid-June 2006, it began fueling some of its long-range Taepodgong-2 missiles, which, in theory, could reach the United States.

On July 4, 2006, North Korea launched six test missiles, which landed in the Sea of Japan. Five of them were short-range missiles, and one was a Taepodgong-2 missile, which failed 40 seconds after launch. One day later, North Korea tested another short-range missile.

On July 6, 2006, North Korea announced that it will continue missile tests, insisting that such tests are a "sovereign right."

Negotiating with North Korea is a unique challenge, since its leader, Kim Jong II, has absolute power and a god-like status there. He uses the media to create a larger-than-life hero image of himself that the people of North Korea have no choice but to accept. This propaganda machine, known as a cult of personality, encourages complete submission to him, making him the sole spokesman for North Korea at the negotiating table.

On October 9, 2006, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon. The international community is condemning the action, and now, perhaps more than ever, U.S. foreign policy toward North Korea is of grave concern.

For more on North Korea, click here.

Iran

The long-term disagreement over Iran’s nuclear program has heated up in 2006. It became almost too-hot-to-handle when the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced Iran’s research on new ways to enrich uranium. He also declared that Iran had successfully enriched uranium to 3.5 percent purity, the level used to produce nuclear power.

Iran claims that it wants to develop nuclear energy only, not nuclear bombs. But the United States and the United Nations are skeptical. The UN Security Council has ordered Iran to halt its nuclear development, and the International Atomic Energy Agency is questioning Iranian officials about the project.

Iran claims that it has the right to develop nuclear power to take care of its energy needs, but U.S. officials doubt that Iran will limit their nuclear capacities to energy use.

For more on Iran, click here.

The point of oversight

As part of our check and balance system laid out in the Constitution, Congress oversees the executive branch through annual appropriations hearings, investigations by select committees, and study commissions. These studies are conducted by the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan research group within the Library of Congress.

Most committees in the House and Senate conduct oversight; Representatives serve on an average of six committees and subcommittees while the Senators average twice that number.

Typically, these investigations and studies come after a policy has shown to be ineffective or damaging. But what about oversight before policy decisions are made? Should Congress have a say in foreign policies before they are put into action? Do you think that the new laws requiring the president to report to Congress will be effective? What kind of oversight would you like to see?

Your input matters

Your representatives in Congress DO care what you think. Especially now -- 2006 is an election year and many representatives will be looking to reconnect with their constituents. Let your congressmen and women know what you think! Give your senators a piece of your mind! To get to your reps, click here.

To explore our archive of past Security Issue updates, click here.

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