The War Powers Act of 1973 enforced the checks and balances in the US government, as the President must inform the Congress that he is sending troops to a hostile area in no more than 48 hours.
The War Powers Act is a congressional resolution designed in order to limit the U.S. president’s ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad. The law requires that presidents notify Congress after deploying the armed forces and limits how long units can remain engaged without congressional approval.