Congress has war powers, not the president

In the context of an exchange of fire between Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists and the U.S. Navy in the Red Sea, Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio) criticized the Biden administration for being “very timid in responding to escalation by Iran” [“Red Sea firefight stokes tensions,” front page, Jan. 1].

Mr. Turner’s statements make him sound like an observer, rather than an actor, when it comes to U.S. war power. The United States is not a monarchy or dictatorship. Members of Congress have their own independent constitutional responsibilities when it comes to the use of war power. In fact, many scholars (including me) do not believe President Biden has unilateral authority to order the use of force outside scenarios where the U.S. military is acting to defend itself or other Americans against an imminent or actual attack.