Question

What did the war powers resolution of 1973 do? It slowed the growing power of the legislative branch. It promoted the powers of the executive branch. It limited the president's power to start wars. It forced the legislative branch to fund wars properly. It required the president to listen to the joint chiefs. Nextreset?

Answer 1

Correct answer:  It limited the President's power to start wars.

The War Powers Resolution gave Congress (the legislative branch) power over whether to continue fighting a war.  Passed in 1973 over the veto of President Richard Nixon, the War Powers Resolution blocks presidents from continuing the pursuance of a war without Congress's approval.  

In practice, however, the War Powers Resolution has often been sidestepped by presidents.  The US Constitution leaves some tension in place between the legislative and executive branch when it comes to the country's involvement in war.  Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.  But Article II names the President the Commander-in-Chief, and presidents frequently have understood that role as containing the authority to deploy US forces without first getting congressional approval.  The War Powers Resolution  has been an ongoing point of controversy as US forces have been sent into all sorts of conflict zones in the 21st century without formal declarations of war.