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View: The Official/ Constitutional Power of the US Congress in Foreign Policy Making By: LONG KimKhorn, PUC, 61283, MA. IRs, Cambodia July 24, 2013 According to the US constitution, there are at least five main official/ constitutional powers of the Congress in foreign policy making. Firstly, the constitution gives power to the congress to regulate trade laws and policies. Secondly, Senate can declare war by super-majority voting system (2/3). Thirdly, Senate can give advice and consent to the presidents cabinet including all political appointees, ambassadorships, and senior military appointments by a simple majority (50%+1). Fourthly, the Senate must pass all treaties negotiated by the president by a two-thirds majority. And in addition, the congress must also approve or appropriate all required funding of international activities undertaken by the government. This is perhaps the most important power the power of the purse. If we want to reflect how far or to what extent that these constitutional powers of the congress whether play a very importance role or not to limit the power of the executive branch and the president, we can elaborate few examples as following: in the constitution of the United States, the president as the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces but if the president wants to wage war unless there is approval by the Senate in 2/3 super-majority voting system for declaration of war. Furthermore, there are many more examples of the congress that through its constitutional powers are affecting the US politics. So does the President have power to do anything else as the chief of executive. Well, the president has full power to execute his/ her foreign and domestic policy, trade regulation and policy, command armed forces under the supervision and in the political framework that approved by the Senate. And I think that because of check-and-balance system always lays down in the separation of power was being implemented in the US with the powerful congress and senate that make America the role model of the democratic countries in the world.

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