Who has the power to declare war?

The power to declare war is specifically vested in Congress as stated in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. This means that it is a collective decision made at the legislative level rather than by an individual or single entity. The federal government, which includes both the House of Representatives and the Senate, holds this responsibility, as it requires joint deliberation and agreement from both chambers.

While the President can act as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and has the authority to direct military operations, the formal act of declaring war must be done by Congress. This separation of powers is intended to ensure that the decision to engage in war is not taken lightly and involves wider representation and accountability to the public. Thus, the correct choice encompasses the entire federal legislative body as opposed to attributing the power solely to one branch or individual.