The Constitution of the United States does not explicitly define the

Question

The Constitution of the United States does not explicitly define the extent of the President’s authority to involve United States troops in conflicts with other nations in the absence of a declaration of war. Instead, the question of the President’s authority in this matter falls in the hazy area of concurrent, a concurrent resolution power, where authority is not expressly allocated to either the President or the Congress. The Constitution gives Congress the basic power to declare war, as well as the authority to raise and support armies and a navy, enact regulations for the control of the military, and provide for the common defense. The President, on the other hand, in addition to being obligated to execute the laws of the land, including commitments negotiated by defense treaties, is named commander in chief of the armed forces and is empowered to appoint envoys and make treaties with the consent of the Senate. Although this allocation of powers does not expressly address the use of armed forces short of a declared war, the spirit of the Constitution at least requires that Congress should be involved in the decision to deploy troops, and in passing the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Congress has at last reclaimed a role in such decisions.

Historically, United States Presidents have not waited for the approval of Congress before involving United States troops in conflicts in which a state of war was not declared. One scholar has identified 199 military engagements that occurred without the consent of Congress, ranging from Jefferson’s conflict with the Barbary pirates to Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam conflict, which President Nixon argued was justified because his role as commander in chief allowed him almost unlimited discretion (power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds “reached the age of discretion”) over the deployment of troops. However, the Vietnam conflict, never a declared war, represented a turning point in Congress’s tolerance of presidential discretion in the deployment of troops in undeclared wars. Galvanized by the human and monetary cost of those hostilities and showing a new determination to fulfill its proper role, Congress enacted the War Powers Resolution of 1973, a statute designed to ensure that the collective judgment of both Congress and the President would be applied to the involvement of United States troops in foreign conflicts.

The resolution required the President, in the absence of a declaration of war, to consult with Congress “in every possible instance” before introducing forces and to report to Congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed. Most important, the resolution allows Congress to veto the involvement once it begins, and requires the President, in most cases, to end the involvement within 60 days unless Congress specifically authorizes the military operation to continue. In its final section, by declaring the resolution is not intended to alter the constitutional authority of either Congress or the President, the resolution asserts that congressional involvement in decisions to use armed force is in accord with the intent and spirit of the Constitution.   1 
 1. In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with

(A) showing how the Vietnam conflict led to a new interpretation of the Constitution’s provisions for use of the military
(B) arguing that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is an attempt to reclaim a share of constitutionally concurrent power that had been usurped by the President
(C) outlining the history of the struggle between the President and Congress for control of the military
(D) providing examples of conflicts inherent in the Constitution’s approach to a balance of powers
(E) explaining how the War Powers Resolution of 1973 alters the Constitution to eliminate an overlap of authority

2 
 2. With regard to the use of United States troops in a foreign conflict without a formal declaration of war by the United States, the author believes that the United States Constitution does which one of the following?

(A) assumes that the President and Congress will agree on whether troops should be used
(B) provides a clear-cut division of authority between the President and Congress in the decision to use troops
(C) assigns a greater role to the Congress than to the President in deciding whether troops should be used
(D) grants final authority to the President to decide whether to use troops
(E) intends that both the President and Congress should be involved in the decision to use troops

3 
 3. The passage suggests that each of the following contributed to Congress’s enacting the War Powers Resolution of 1973 EXCEPT

(A) a change in the attitude in Congress toward exercising its role in the use of armed forces
(B) the failure of Presidents to uphold commitments specified in defense treaties
(C) Congress’s desire to be consulted concerning United States military actions instigated by the President
(D) the amount of money spent on recent conflicts waged without a declaration of war
(E) the number of lives lost in Vietnam

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is applicable only in “the absence of a declaration of war” (lines 48-49) because

(A) Congress has enacted other laws that already set out presidential requirements for situations in which war has been declared
(B) by virtue of declaring war, Congress already implicitly participates in the decision to deploy troops
(C) the President generally receives broad public support during wars that have been formally declared by Congress
(D) Congress felt that the President should be allowed unlimited discretion in cases in which war has been declared
(E) the United States Constitution already explicitly defines the reporting and consulting requirements of the President in cases in which war has been declared

5 
 5. In can be inferred from the passage that the author believes that the War Powers Resolution of 1973

(A) is not in accord with the explicit roles of the President and Congress as defined in the Constitution
(B) interferes with the role of the President as commander in chief of the armed forces
(C) signals Congress’s commitment to fulfill a role intended for it by the Constitution
(D) fails explicitly to address the use of armed forces in the absence of a declaration of war
(E) confirms the role historically assumed by Presidents

6 
 6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements regarding the invasion of Cambodia?

(A) Because it was undertaken without the consent of Congress, it violated the intent and spirit of the Constitution.
(B) Because it galvanized support for the War Powers Resolution, it contributed indirectly to the expansion of presidential authority.
(C) Because it was necessitated by a defense treaty, it required the consent of Congress.
(D) It served as a precedent for a new interpretation of the constitutional limits on the President’s authority to deploy troops.
(E) It differed from the actions of past Presidents in deploying United States troops in conflicts without a declaration of war by Congress.

7 
 7. According to the provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 as described in the passage, if the President perceives that an international conflict warrants the immediate involvement of United States armed forces, the President is compelled in every instance to

(A) request that Congress consider a formal declaration of war
(B) consult with the leaders of both house of Congress before deploying armed forces
(C) desist from deploying any troops unless expressly approved by Congress
(D) report to Congress within 48 hours of the deployment of armed forces
(E) withdraw any armed forces deployed in such a conflict within 60 days unless war is declared

JarvisR · Accepted Answer

Time taken 16 mins.
1.in the passage, the author is primarily concerned with
(A) showing how the Vietnam conflict led to a new interpretation of the Constitution’s provisions for use of the military
(B) arguing that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is an attempt to reclaim a share of constitutionally concurrent power that had been usurped by the President
(C) outlining the history of the struggle between the President and Congress for control of the military
(D) providing examples of conflicts inherent in the Constitution’s approach to a balance of powers
(E) explaining how the War Powers Resolution of 1973 alters the Constitution to eliminate an overlap of authority

2.With regard to the use of United States troops in a foreign conflict without a formal declaration of war by the United States, the author believes that the United States Constitution does which one of the following?
(A) assumes that the President and Congress will agree on whether troops should be used
(B) provides a clear-cut division of authority between the President and Congress in the decision to use troops
(C) assigns a greater role to the Congress than to the President in deciding whether troops should be used
(D) grants final authority to the President to decide whether to use troops
 (E) intends that both the President and Congress should be involved in the decision to use troops
>>the War Powers Resolution of 1973, a statute designed to ensure that the collective judgment of both Congress and the President would be applied to the involvement of United States troops in foreign conflicts.

3.The passage suggests that each of the following contributed to Congress’s enacting the War Powers Resolution of 1973 EXCEPT
(A) a change in the attitude in Congress toward exercising its role in the use of armed forces
 (B) the failure of Presidents to uphold commitments specified in defense treaties 
>>Correct 
(C) Congress’s desire to be consulted concerning United States military actions instigated by the President
(D) the amount of money spent on recent conflicts waged without a declaration of war
(E) the number of lives lost in Vietnam

4.It can be inferred from the passage that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is applicable only in “the absence of a declaration of war” (lines 48-49) because
(A) Congress has enacted other laws that already set out presidential requirements for situations in which war has been declared
 (B) by virtue of declaring war, Congress already implicitly participates in the decision to deploy troops
>> The Constitution gives Congress the basic power to declare war, as well as the authority to raise and ... 
(C) the President generally receives broad public support during wars that have been formally declared by Congress
(D) Congress felt that the President should be allowed unlimited discretion in cases in which war has been declared
(E) the United States Constitution already explicitly defines the reporting and consulting requirements of the President in cases in which war has been declared

5.In can be inferred from the passage that the author believes that the War Powers Resolution of 1973
(A) is not in accord with the explicit roles of the President and Congress as defined in the Constitution
(B) interferes with the role of the President as commander in chief of the armed forces
 (C) signals Congress’s commitment to fulfill a role intended for it by the Constitution
In its final section, by declaring the resolution is not intended to alter the constitutional authority of either Congress or the President, the resolution asserts that congressional involvement in decisions to use armed force is in accord with the intent and spirit of the Constitution 
(D) fails explicitly to address the use of armed forces in the absence of a declaration of war
(E) confirms the role historically assumed by Presidents

6.It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements regarding the invasion of Cambodia?
(A) Because it was undertaken without the consent of Congress, it violated the intent and spirit of the Constitution.
(B) Because it galvanized support for the War Powers Resolution, it contributed indirectly to the expansion of presidential authority.
(C) Because it was necessitated by a defense treaty, it required the consent of Congress.
 (D) It served as a precedent for a new interpretation of the constitutional limits on the President’s authority to deploy troops. 
(E) It differed from the actions of past Presidents in deploying United States troops in conflicts without a declaration of war by Congress.

7.According to the provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 as described in the passage, if the President perceives that an international conflict warrants the immediate involvement of United States armed forces, the President is compelled in every instance to
(A) request that Congress consider a formal declaration of war
(B) consult with the leaders of both house of Congress before deploying armed forces
(C) desist from deploying any troops unless expressly approved by Congress
 (D) report to Congress within 48 hours of the deployment of armed forces
The resolution required the President, in the absence of a declaration of war, to consult with Congress “in every possible instance” before introducing forces and to report to Congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed. 
 (E) withdraw any armed forces deployed in such a conflict within 60 days unless war is declared

moropa2018 · Answer

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is applicable only in “the absence of a declaration of war” (lines 48-49) because

From this we can infer that in case of war, the President consults with congress before introducing forces.

(A) Congress has enacted other laws that already set out presidential requirements for situations in which war has been declared.  There is no mention of any other laws anywhere in the passage. Hence cannot be inferred. 
(B) by virtue of declaring war, Congress already implicitly participates in the decision to deploy troops.  This means President consults/has to consult Congress inorder to decide whether troops need to be deployed in case of war. Hence, correct. 
(C) the President generally receives broad public support during wars that have been formally declared by Congress.  Cannot be inferred. 
(D) Congress felt that the President should be allowed unlimited discretion in cases in which war has been declared.  Cannot be inferred. 
(E) the United States Constitution already explicitly defines the reporting and consulting requirements of the President in cases in which war has been declared.  There is no where mentioned in the passage that US Constitution explicitly defines the reporting and consulting requirements of president either in case of or abscence of war. Hence cannot be inferred.

6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements regarding the invasion of Cambodia?

(A) Because it was undertaken without the consent of Congress, it violated the intent and spirit of the Constitution.  We can infer this from the below quoted text.

(B) Because it galvanized support for the War Powers Resolution, it contributed indirectly to the expansion of presidential authority.  The invasion in itself did not galvanize the support for War Powers Resolution but monetary and personal loss did and also invasion of Cambodia did not expand President's authority.

(C) Because it was necessitated by a defense treaty, it required the consent of Congress.  It is no where mentioned that Cambodian invasion is necessitated by a defense treaty.

(D) It served as a precedent for a new interpretation of the constitutional limits on the President’s authority to deploy troops.  Cambodian invasion aftermath galvanized the already existing thought of limiting President's powers to deploy troops in short of war. It did not act as a precedent.

(E) It differed from the actions of past Presidents in deploying United States troops in conflicts without a declaration of war by Congress.  Nothing about past presidents is mentioned.

7. According to the provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 as described in the passage, if the President perceives that an international conflict warrants the immediate involvement of United States armed forces, the President is compelled in every instance to

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 required the President, in the absence of a declaration of war-
1. To consult with Congress “in every possible instance” before introducing forces and 
2. To report to Congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed.

(A) request that Congress consider a formal declaration of war. As per the resolution, the President is required to consult congress before deploying troops not for war declaration. 
(B) consult with the leaders of both house of Congress before deploying armed forces.  The passage just says 'consult congress' not 'leaders of both house of congress'. 
(C) desist from deploying any troops unless expressly approved by Congress.  Desist is too strong a word here.  
(D) report to Congress within 48 hours of the deployment of armed forces.  Verbatim. 
(E) withdraw any armed forces deployed in such a conflict within 60 days unless war is declared.  Nothing as such is mentioned in the passage.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

7. According to the provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 as described in the passage, if the President perceives that an international conflict warrants the immediate involvement of United States armed forces, the President is compelled in every instance to

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

The answer must come from  Paragraph 3  only. There we see that lines: must  “report to Congress within 48 hours after . . . forces have actually been deployed”  under the provisions of the War Powers Resolution.

(A)  Same old scope ground. The War Powers Resolution is specifically for situations in which a formal declaration of war isn’t contemplated.

(B 2nd and 3rd line  states that the President must consult with the Congress  “in every possible instance”  before deploying troops. That’s not quite the same as saying that the President must consult in every instance. The resolution recognizes that there may be circumstances in which the President must deploy troops before talking to the Congress.

(C)  and  (E)  The resolution allows the President to deploy troops for up to 60 days without the Congress’s approval  (C) . And it leaves open the prospect of even longer unsanctioned deployments in certain instances  (E) .

Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements regarding the invasion of Cambodia?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

In  Paragraph 2 , the author identifies the Cambodia invasion as an instance when a President deployed American troops in an undeclared war without approval from the Congress. Any decision to deploy troops in an undeclared war that’s not approved by Congress, he claims in  Paragraph 1 , violates the  “intent and spirit of the Constitution.”

(B)  is a  “half-right, half-wrong”  choice. True, the Cambodia invasion did contribute to support for the War Powers Resolution; but this resolution curbed, rather than expanded, the President’s power.

(C)  The author never says or suggests that the Cambodia invasion  “was necessitated by a defense treaty,”  nor does he describe any such cause-and-effect as  (C)  suggests.

(D)  The War Powers Resolution,  Paragraph 3  makes clear, wasn’t meant to challenge the President’s authority under the Constitution.

(E)  If anything, the author suggests that the Cambodia invasion followed a historical pattern established soon after America’s birth.

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

At the end of  Paragraph 1 , the author explicitly states that the War Powers Resolution is an attempt by Congress to reclaim its rightful role in decisions to involve America in undeclared wars. In  Paragraphs 2  and  3 , the author demonstrates that Congress lost this role, but has now regained it. You may have found  “usurped”  a mite extreme, but given the author’s firm conviction that the Constitution demands Congressional involvement in troop decisions,  ”usurpation”  is pretty close to the behavior we hear about in  Paragraph 2.

(A)  The Vietnam War’s role in leading to the War Powers Resolution is merely a  Paragraph 2  detail.

(C)  and  (D)  are beyond the scope of the passage, which is restricted to a discussion of Congress’s role in decisions to send American troops into undeclared wars. This passage doesn’t delve into the broader Presidential-Congressional struggle for control of the military  (C) , let alone the even broader issue of the Constitutional balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government  (D) .

(E)  Lines  (In its final section, by declaring that the resolution is not intended to alter the constitutional authority of either Congress or the President)  explicitly state that the War Powers Resolution isn’t intended to alter the Constitution.

Answer: B

Harsh2111s · Answer

VeritasKarishma   Sajjad1994

Please explain how to eliminate option E "number of lives lost in Vietnam."
Only line that explain this question "Galvanized by the human and monetary cost of those hostilities and showing a new determination to fulfill its proper role"
Here human cost referring to manpower cost for fighting war.
How to infer number of lives lost ?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is applicable only in “the absence of a declaration of war” (lines 48-49) because

Difficulty Level:   700-750

Explanation

Lines in the  first paragraph   (The Constitution gives Congress the basic power to declare war, as well as the authority to raise and support armies and a navy)  indicate that Congress has the right to declare war, and by giving the President that green light to go to war Congress is ipso facto involved in the decision to deploy American troops.

In other words, because Congress participates in the initial decision to send American troops to war, the War Powers Resolution is irrelevant in cases in which war is formally declared. (And notice that the scope of this investigation—namely, troop involvement when war is not declared—is made clear as early as lines 3-4, where we find, word for word, the very same phrase that the stem cites.)

(A)  What other laws? The passage doesn’t mention any. Anyhow, it’s the Constitution that has set out Presidential requirements when war is declared.

The remaining choices are all beyond the scope of the passage. The text contains no discussion of public opinion in declared wars  (C) ; Congress’s attitudes toward the President’s behavior in declared wars  (D) ; or Presidential reporting and consulting procedures in declared wars  (E) . And why should the text discuss any of those things?— none of them relate to our author’s investigation as defined in the first few lines.

Answer: B

KarishmaB · Answer

"Galvanized by the human and monetary cost of those hostilities and showing a new determination to fulfill its proper role"

Human cost in a war is the number of lives lost. 
What is manpower cost? The money used to raise manpower? All types of monetary cost are a part of monetary costs mentioned. When it says "human and monetary costs" it means loss of life and money.

The Constitution of the United States does not explicitly define the

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The Constitution of the United States does not explicitly define the

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