Staff Reports
Rep. Thomas Massie walked onto the House floor this week with eight articles of impeachment aimed at Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. It was a dramatic move, a privileged resolution designed to force a quick vote and a public roll call. That much drama should make conservatives glad someone is shouting about congressional power — but don’t clap too loudly yet. Massie found a real constitutional fight and, in classic Washington fashion, pointed it at the wrong man.
Massie’s Move Forces a Vote
What happened is simple to explain. Massie read long impeachment articles on the House floor and filed them as a privileged resolution. That procedure forces the House to act fast or at least put members on record. The core charge is that continued U.S. hostilities with Iran took place without proper congressional authorization. The package also accuses the department of unlawful strikes in the Caribbean, operations in Venezuela and Yemen, and retaliatory actions against a senator. Because Massie recently lost a primary and now has little to lose politically, this is a high‑leverage play that guarantees headlines and votes.
Wrong Target for a Constitutional Fight
Let’s be blunt: the constitutional fight Massie raised belongs between Congress and the President, not the Secretary of Defense. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, fund the military, and make rules for the armed forces. The President, as commander in chief, executes those duties. If lawmakers believe the President has overstepped, they should squarely confront the President and use the tools the Constitution actually gives them — not dress a policy fight up as a personnel impeachment.
War Powers, Chadha, and the 60‑Day Clock
The legal wrinkle here is the War Powers Resolution and a Supreme Court line of cases about congressional procedures. Congress did pass concurrent measures this year directing removal of forces from hostilities with Iran, and the War Powers law talks about a 60‑day clock before forces must be withdrawn. But concurrent resolutions are not laws sent to the President for signature, and courts after INS v. Chadha have warned that certain congressional shortcuts don’t carry the force of law. The administration also points to Article II authority to defend U.S. forces. That mess of rules is the fight — but it’s a fight with the White House, not a clerk‑room takedown of a Cabinet secretary.
Do the Hard Work, or Don’t Complain
If conservatives truly care about reasserting congressional war powers, vote on binding legislation. Pass a law that limits funding for an operation. Force the President to veto it and make Republicans explain that veto to voters. Hold tough oversight hearings and, if warranted, refer criminal questions to the courts. Impeaching a Cabinet official in a House led by the President’s party is a long shot and a convenient shortcut for politicians who want to score press clips without risking the political pain of actually governing. Massie deserves credit for forcing attention on the issue. But if you want to protect the Constitution, aim at the right target and be ready to swallow the consequences.
