Limits of Congressional Micromanagement

The American Bar Association sponsored a forum entitled, “The Limits of Congressional Micromanagement: Toward a Consensus on Criteria,” during its national conference on the activities of Congress. Issues examined by a panel of analysts of U.S. foreign policy, Congress, and constitutional law included the tendency of Congress to shape legislation into all-encompassing omnibus bills, the role of Congress in interpreting treaties and reviewing intelligence agencies, the extent to which the president is obliged to share information on issues with Congress, and the extent to which Congress “micro-manages” the presidency by closely reviewing the actions of the executive branch. The forum was part of the American Bar Association’s conference entitled, “Preserving the Separation of Powers in Foreign Policy: Check and Balances and the New Congressional Activism.” close