On Tuesday, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to condemn President Obama for violating federal law after Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was exchanged for five Taliban leaders held at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The lower chamber voted Tuesday 249-163 to pass HR 644, the title of which reads:
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“Condemning the Obama administration’s failure to comply with the lawful statutory requirement to notify Congress before releasing individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and expressing national security concerns over the release of five Taliban leaders and the repercussions of negotiating with terrorists.”
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel testified before the House Armed Services Committee in June that negotiations to transfer five Taliban detainees had been ongoing for months.
In August, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing how the Department of Defense violated the Fiscal Year 2014 Defense Appropriations Act by not reporting to Congress the Bergdahl/Taliban plan.
The resolution was introduced by Republicans Scott Rigell of Virginia and Reid Ribble of Wisconsin, and Democrats John Barrow of Georgia and Nick Rahall of West Virginia.  Both Democrats are in competitive re-election campaigns.
Rigell condemned the Obama administration in a press release shortly after the vote, saying “The President ignored the law by failing to notify Congress of this serious decision.”
The thirty day notification requirement is not a perfunctory administrative action; it is not like breaking a lease with your landlord.  The law exists to provide Congress time to consider serious national security decisions such as releasing terrorists like the Taliban five.
Barrow added in a press release of his own, “This transfer poses a major national security risk, and it complicates our efforts to combat terrorism worldwide.  The President cannot treat congress as an afterthought or adversary, particularly with decisions impacting our national security and especially since, in this case, Congress could have helped the President get this decision right.”
As a resolution, it does not have the force of law and will not be considered in the Senate.
H/T The Hill
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