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9 Cardozo L. Rev. 1489 (1987-1988)
The Modern Role of Congress in Foreign Affairs

handle is hein.journals/cdozo9 and id is 1505 raw text is: THE MODERN ROLE OF CONGRESS IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS Hon. Daniel Patrick Moynihan * A century ago, in a letter to the committee responsible for the centennial celebration, the then British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone called the U.S. Constitution the most remarkable work known to me in modem times to have been produced by the human intellect ... in its application to political affairs.' It is just that: no written arrangement for a government has ever in history endured two centuries. And its unexampled endurance is indeed cause for much celebration. But it also should be the occasion for some cere- bration as well. We may doubt that the bicentennial discussion will attain to any- thing like the level of discourse two centuries ago. We are short on Madisons and Hamiltons and Jays. But it is possible to hope that we may acquire a more general understanding of what it was those men were discoursing about. Else all will be lost to fireworks and faith healing. I have been asked to share some thoughts with you about the modern role of Congress. In doing so, I will focus on the role of Con- gress in foreign affairs. I do so for two reasons. First, Iranamok is absorbing not only the attention of the na- tion, but, it seems to me, a good many members of the bar. Second, at the beginning of this Congress, I was appointed to the Foreign Rela- tions Committee2 (in addition to the Finance Committee) and so have spent some time thinking about Congress' role in foreign affairs. * U.S. Senator (Dem. N.Y.). Copyright © 1987 by Daniel Patrick Moynihan. This Arti- cle is based on a speech delivered at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York as part of its bicentennial series of lectures and forums entitled, An Enduring Constitution in a Chang- ing World. The Enduring Constitution in a Changing World series is to be published in book form by Random House and will include this Article. I Letter from William E. Gladstone to the Comm. in Charge of the Celebration of the Centennial of the American Constitution (July 20, 1887), partially reprinted in J. Bartlett, Familiar Quotations 517 (15th ed. 1980). 2 This appointment is itself something of a story. Under Senate policy of long standing, there are four so-called Super A or Premium Committees of which-owing to their spe- cial importance-a Senator may only belong to one: Finance, Foreign Relations, Armed Serv- ices, and Appropriations. The only exception to this practice was that of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, John Stennis, who has served on both Appropriations and Armed Services since 1955. I became the second exception this year. 1489

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