Legal Consultant Says Congress Should Declare War, Not President

Bruce Fein, a legal consultant, testifies on behalf of the Executive Accountability Act, which would place criminal penalties on members of the executive branch who lie to Congress in order to encourage it to go to war. He says that Congress should take responsibility for declarations of war. (0:36)
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Former Bush Lawyer Says "Executive Accountability Act" Would Create Chilling Effect

Jonathan F. Cohn, who served in the Department of Justice under former President George W. Bush, says the Executive Accountability Act, which would criminalize actions by the executive branch to mislead Congress, would impede rather than produce accurate communication between the executive and legislative branches during times of war. (0:24)
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Legal Expert Says Only Congress Can Declare War

Dr. Louis Fisher, a specialist in constitutional law, says the founding fathers intended that Congress should declare war rather than a single executive, who would have corrupt motivations. Fisher supports the Executive Accountability Act of 2009, which would place penalties on the executive branch for lying to Congress. (0:42)
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