Congress passed the War Powers Act over the veto of President Richard Nixon in November 1973. The act required the president to gain the approval of Congress within 60 days of sending U.S. troops into combat. If Congress did not give its approval, the War Powers Act allowed the president an extra 30 days to safely withdraw the troops. The act was created in reaction to the war in Vietnam, which had been waged without an official declaration of war by Congress. The War Powers Act gave Congress a means to assert its constitutional authority to declare war. Congress has threatened to use the act at various times since 1973. In 1983 after President Ronald Reagan sent U.S. Marines to Lebanon, Congress used the act to limit the amount of time they could stay. Reagan withdrew the troops before the time limit expired.
