110 HRES 163 IH: Urging the collective judgment of both U.S. House of Representatives 2007-02-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 163 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

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.