#28 - Concept Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):


This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[biskam]

Was stuck between B and D here and changed my answer to the wrong one unfortunately. The passage says "The resolution required the pres, in the absence of a declaration of war, to consullt with congress "in every possible instance" before introducing forces and to report to congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed."

doesn't "in every possible instance" before introducing forces" support B?

and " to report to congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed" support D?

If they're both supported, how can I choose one over the other?

Is it because parts of B's answer language can't be expressly supported? Meaning "leaders of both houses" and "deploying armed forces"? Meaning these are too specific for what the passage said?

Thanks!

[Jennifer Janowsky]

Hi! As you guessed, this is an instance of the language expressly supporting the answer. The test makers are definitely picky in this aspect!

As you said, this is a Concept Reference question to the following concept from the prompt: "The resolution required the President, in the (50) absence of a declaration of war, to consult with Congress "in every possible instance" before introducing forces and to report to Congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed."

The question asks, according to the resolution, if the President feels a conflict warrants US involvement, they are compelled to do what? This leaves (B) and (D), as you've said:
(B) consult with the leaders of both houses of Congress before deploying armed forces
(D) report to Congress within 48 hours of the deployment of armed forces

Although he must consult with Congress, the passage does not say anything about consulting with the leaders of both houses (B). The passage does, however, say they must report within 48 hours of deployment (D).

[chiickenx]

hi, so I having a little bit of trouble understanding why (b) doesn't work. If the president is required in every possible instance to consult with congress before deploying troops, does it not necessarily follow that the president is required to consult with both the leaders of congress before deploying troops?
Thanks!

[James Finch]

Hi ChiikenX,

The issue with (B) comes down to the specific language in the question stem: we need an answer choice that applies "in every instance," no exceptions. The actions described in (B) are required, according to the passage, "in every possible instance," meaning that exceptional cases could arise that would warrant the US President deploying troops before consulting Congress. Unlike (D), (B) thus cannot be said to apply to "every instance."

Hope this clears things up!

[Chris_GRZ]

Hello, I was just wondering why A) "request that Congress consider a formal declaration of war" was wrong as I thought the passage mentioned without congress he can not declare war so if the president felt that their was a conflict needing attention he would need congress to declare war before proceeding in every instance.

Is their something that I am missing ?

[Paul Marsh]

Hi Chris! You are correct that the passage says that Congress must be the one to declare war. The president cannot do that. However, the passage points out that very frequently the President takes military actions despite no war being declared. From the passage: "Historically, United States Presidents have not waited for the approval of Congress before involving United States troops in conflicts in which a state of war was not declared." The passage tells us that Presidents throughout the entirety of US history have been allowed to take some military action without a declaration of war from Congress. (For example, over the last few years Obama and Trump have sent troops into Syria, despite the fact that Congress has never declared war. In fact, the last time Congress declared war was World War 2.) The passage spends most of its time discussing these types of military actions, and how the War Powers Resolution attempted to limit the President's ability to engage in them.

The passage never says that the War Powers Resolution bars the President from taking military action unless Congress has declared war. So Answer Choice (A) is incorrect. What the passage does say is that "the resolution required the President, in the absence of a declaration of war, to consult with Congress "in every possible instance" before introducing forces and to report to Congress within 48 hours after the forces have actually been deployed." Answer Choice (D) mentions that 48 hour requirement, and so it's the correct answer. Hope that helps!

[appletree]

Hello!
I struggled with eliminating answer choice C. I thought it had potential because of lines 53-58.
I ended up choosing D because there was more absolute proof for it, but I am still confused on what makes C wrong.
Could someone explain what eliminates it?
Thank you!

[Adam Tyson]

Answer D is too strong and is not supported by the text, appletree. The passage only tells us that the President must consult with Congress before deploying troops "in every possible instance," which leaves open the possibility of the President deploying troops in some cases when prior consultation is not possible. The lines you cited are about what happens AFTER the President deploys troops, which means he or she doesn't have to desist from deploying them in the first place. On top of that, the War Powers Resolution doesn't appear to require any express authorization from Congress when they are consulted - the President just has to consult with them! Maybe they can consult and then ignore whatever Congress says, deploy troops anyway, and then be required to report and perhaps withdraw troops later!