Washington, D.C.—Senator Arlen Specter, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote today to Chairman Patrick Leahy requesting the Judiciary Committee hold additional hearings into the constitutional authority of the Congress to place restrictions on the President’s war powers. Senator Specter writes: “The debate over the Iraq war is the most important issue confronting the American people today. The Congress cannot be pushed to the sidelines as the President commits more troops and ever-increasing funds to an engagement that commands uncertain support. We have an obligation to determine how, within appropriate constitutional constraints, we may engage the President and ensure that the will of the American people regarding this conflict is heard. To this end, it would be in the public interest for the Judiciary Committee to conduct a series of hearings to determine the constitutional authority of the Congress to limit conduct of the war.”