The New York Times is reporting President Bush is seeking Congress to explicitly acknowledge that the nation remains engaged in an armed conflict with al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated organizations. The measure carries significant legal and public policy implications for Bush, and potentially his successor. It would allow them to claim the approval of Congress to use the tools of war, including detention, interrogation and surveillance, against the enemy. Some lawmakers are concerned that the administration’s effort to declare anew a war footing is an eleventh-hour maneuver to reestablish its broad interpretation of the president’s wartime powers, even in the face of challenges from the Supreme Court and Congress. It is uncertain whether Congress will take the administration up on its request.