War Powers Timeline Archives
War Powers Timeline

10/20/2011: Federal court dismissed lawsuit over US Libya involvement.

06/24/2011: Speaker Boehner sent Obama a letter warning near violating of the 60-day provision of the War Powers Act.

06/16/2011: Obama released report defending military operations in Libya.

06/15/2011: A group of congressmen filed suit against Obama, alleging violation of Article 1, Section 8.

06/15/2011: Obama released report justifying actions and cost in Libya.

07/08/2008: US group co-chaired by Secretaries of State called for report limiting presidential war powers.

03/21/2003: President Bush submitted War Powers notice to Congress.

03/13/2003: First Circuit rejected War Powers appeal.

09/29/1983: Congress invoked War Powers Act for the first time.

11/07/1973: Congress passed War Powers Act.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US House voted to impeach President Clinton

On December 19, 1998, a divided US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Bill Clinton on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair.

Read the Articles of Impeachment.

UK signs Hong Kong over to China

On December 19, 1984, the United Kingdom and China signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which ceded control of Hong Kong to the government of mainland China in 1997. The treaty also ensured that Hong Kong would retain its capitalist and democratic systems for at least 50 years after the transfer of power.