Unilateral Action: The War Powers Act

Unilateral action is actions or decisions presidents often make on their own without the assistance of Congress. Traditionally, Congress is known to make and pass the laws, but the president can also enact policies through unilateral action. Presidents often use unilateral action to respond to issues quickly, without having to go through the lengthy legislative process to get a law in order. This can include executive orders, executive agreements, and other orders that do not require congressional approval. Presidents often use unilateral action to address urgent matters; however, there are still rules and stipulations that apply. For instance, if a law a president orders appears to be unconstitutional, Congress can veto that law. The main
While unilateral action allows presidents to act quickly, it also raises questions about the balance of power. Presidents may sometimes overlook how they might be overextending their powers, this is where checks and balances become essential. The idea was to divide and share powers among each branch to create a healthy rivalry that benefits the public. This way, determination would counteract ambition and prevent any one branch from becoming dominant. Other branches can check the president in various ways. An example of checking the president is the War Powers Act. Article 1 section 8 gives almost all war powers to Congress, therefore if the President tries to engage in military action without congressional approval, the War Powers Act can limit this. declare war, regulations are required. If military action extends a 60-day limit, the president must seek congressional approval. Congress also has various other tools to check presidential power. For instance, the power of the purse allows Congress to control federal spending, meaning they can restrict or deny funding for certain executive actions. This financial control can significantly limit the president's ability to carry out specific policies or military actions