The Supreme Court declared that the federal government possesses broad and inherent powers to deal with other countries and that the president exercises primacy in formulating and conducting foreign policy.
In 1934 Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing the president to prohibit the sale of arms to the warring nations of Bolivia and Paraguay. Congress also provided criminal penalties for violators. President Franklin D. Roosevelt quickly proclaimed an embargo. After the Curtiss-Wright Export Corporation was indicted for disobeying the embargo, it asserted that the congressional resolution was an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power to the president.
By a 7-1 margin, the Supreme Court found nothing unconstitutional about the government’s arrangement. Justice George Sutherland
There has been much controversy concerning Curtiss-Wright’s expansive views of inherent presidential powers in foreign affairs. The decision was cited by opponents of the War Powers Act
Delegation of powers
Foreign affairs and foreign policy
National security
Presidential powers
Rules of the Court
War powers
War Powers Act of 1973