Lever Time The Untouched Power That Could Stop The Iran War
Apr 30, 2026
Josh Chaffetz, Georgetown law and politics professor who studies Congress and separation of powers, and Alan Morrison, longtime public-interest lawyer who argued the Chadha case, walk through the story behind the legislative veto. They cover how Chadha reshaped congressional checks, the War Powers Resolution’s fate, and why lawmakers rarely use deauthorizations today.
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War Powers Resolution Gave Congress A Direct Kill Switch
- The War Powers Resolution included a two-house legislative veto to end undeclared wars without needing to override a presidential veto.
- Section 5C let both chambers declare a war over, converting a veto-proof check into immediate law pre-Chadha.
How A Nader Lawyer Picked Chada To Kill The Legislative Veto
- Alan Morrison, a Ralph Nader lawyer, hunted an obscure immigration case to take down the legislative veto.
- He found Jagdish Ray Chada, whose deportation reversal involved a congressional veto, and offered pro bono representation to challenge the practice.
Chadha Overnight Removed Congressional Backstops
- The Supreme Court's Chadha decision struck down legislative vetoes and invalidated hundreds of statutory veto provisions.
- The ruling removed Congress's backstop across dozens of laws, empowering the executive while leaving delegated powers intact.