Lawfare Daily: Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) on Congress’s Role in Foreign Affairs

In this episode of The Lawfare Podcast, Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson speaks with Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA) about Congress's critical but often underutilized role in foreign affairs and national security. Jacobs, a rare congressional voice prioritizing foreign policy, emphasizes that issues like the war in Iran, civilian harm mitigation, and foreign assistance reform are not abstract but deeply affect her San Diego constituents—home to the largest military presence in the U.S. and a major hub for refugees and immigrants. She argues that Congress must reclaim its constitutional authority through oversight, funding leverage, and legislative reform, especially in light of the executive branch’s expansion of war powers under the Trump administration. Jacobs advocates for structural changes such as annual state authorization bills, reform of the War Powers Resolution, and rebuilding foreign aid around locally led development. She also highlights the importance of bipartisan cooperation, citing shared efforts with Republicans on war powers, expeditionary diplomacy, and foreign aid reform, driven by shared institutional concerns rather than partisan alignment. Jacobs calls for a proactive, forward-looking U.S. foreign policy that moves beyond nostalgia for unipolarity and instead positions America as a leader in addressing global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and AI. She stresses the need to engage diaspora communities and make foreign policy relevant to everyday Americans by connecting it to economic security, national safety, and long-term strategic interests. The episode concludes with a call to action for Congress to rebuild its institutional capacity, including legal analysis and staff expertise, to effectively check executive overreach and reassert its co-equal role in shaping U.S. foreign policy.