nor has Congress provided a specific statutory authorization for the involvement of United States Armed Forces in the armed conflict or any hostilities in Niger.

Yes they did, Rand: the Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001. Your own father voted for it when he was in Congress. It's a bad law that never should have been passed, but it's there. Maybe get off your political soapbox and work to repeal it.

Edit: I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to dunk on Rand Paul. I will applaud anyone from any party who manages to get that law off the books. It has been misused by every president for over 20 years. I'm just out of patience and tired of politicians grandstanding and promoting half-measures rather than fixing the core problem.