The Role of the House of Representatives in International Relations

It is only logical in endeavoring to estimate the degree of influence which the House of Representatives exerts in the international field to turn first to the treaty power. It is by treaties and various other forms of international agreements that we as a member of the family of nations are bound to follow or to refrain from a certain line of action, not only without our boundaries, but more and more in our domestic policy and administration. As treaties increase in number and their binding power and sanction become more fully accepted they will inevitably place increasingly greater moral, if not legal, restrictions upon the power of Congress to legislate in the municipal field.In order to ascertain the possible manner in which the House might increase its influence it is necessary to determine the degree of authority which that body has at the present time in the various parts of the treaty power.