War Powers Resolution

War Powers Resolution, also called War Powers Act, U.S. law that describes the procedure that both the President and the Congress must follow in order to legally declare war. According to this law, the President may send military forces to an area where conflict arises, but the legislative branch must be informed by the executive branch within 48 hours. For the forces to remain in place for more than 90 days, the President must seek approval from the Congress. The law was created in response to the Vietnam War (1957–75), during which time both President Nixon and President Johnson approved military actions without the consent of Congress. This law was employed to initiate military action in the Persian Gulf (1991).