[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 163 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 163

   Urging the collective judgment of both Congress and the President 
       regarding the use of military force by the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 14, 2007

 Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Olver, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mrs. 
     Maloney of New York, and Mr. Fattah) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Urging the collective judgment of both Congress and the President 
       regarding the use of military force by the United States.

Whereas the United States has the best trained, most effective military in the 
        world;
Whereas the United States military consists of an all volunteer force of 
        dedicated, patriotic men and women;
Whereas the men and women of the Armed Forces are a reflection of the best 
        values and spirit of our Nation;
Whereas Congress has a responsibility to ensure that the members of the Armed 
        Forces are provided for to the fullest extent possible;
Whereas Congress has a responsibility to make certain that the lives of the 
        members of the Armed Forces are never put at risk without careful 
        consideration;
Whereas, under the Constitution of the United States, Congress has the power to 
        declare war;
Whereas the use of military force by the United States must not proceed without 
        careful preparation;
Whereas Congress enacted legislation permitting the President of the United 
        States to use military force against Afghanistan (Public Law 107-40) and 
        against Iraq (Public Law 107-243) only after 17 hours of debate; and
Whereas the use of military force by the United States must not be undertaken 
        without a full debate over whether it is in the best interests of the 
        United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That--
            (1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        the Constitution of the United States provides that the 
        President, in an emergency, may act to defend the country, but 
        reserved the matter of offensive war to Congress as the 
        representatives of the people; and
            (2) the House of Representatives affirms the requirement 
        under the Constitution that the President seek and obtain the 
        approval of Congress before the United States undertakes 
        offensive military action against any other nation.
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