[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1212 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1212

 To require the cessation of the use of force in, or directed at, the 
country of Libya by the United States Armed Forces unless a subsequent 
             Act specifically authorizes such use of force.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 29, 2011

  Mr. Amash (for himself, Mr. Chaffetz, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. 
   Kucinich, and Mr. Paul) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the cessation of the use of force in, or directed at, the 
country of Libya by the United States Armed Forces unless a subsequent 
             Act specifically authorizes such use of force.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Restoring Essential constitutional 
Constraints for Libyan Action Involving the Military Act'' or ``RECLAIM 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The President of the United States directed United 
        States Armed Forces to begin Operation Odyssey Dawn against 
        Libya, including bombings of Libyan air defense systems and 
        military airfields, without the authorization of Congress.
            (2) The Government of Libya has not declared war or 
        initiated hostilities against the United States or its allies.
            (3) Article 1, Section 8, of the United States Constitution 
        states that Congress shall have the power ``To declare War'', 
        ``To raise and support Armies'', ``To provide and maintain a 
        Navy'', and ``To make Rules for the Government and Regulation 
        of the land and naval Forces''.

SEC. 3. CESSATION OF USE OF FORCE AGAINST THE COUNTRY OF LIBYA.

    The President shall cease the use of force in, or directed at, the 
country of Libya by the United States Armed Forces unless a subsequent 
Act specifically authorizes such use of force.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR USE OF FORCE AGAINST THE 
              COUNTRY OF LIBYA.

    No funds available to any United States Government department or 
agency may be used for the use of force in, or directed at, the country 
of Libya by the United States Armed Forces unless a subsequent Act 
specifically authorizes such use of force.

SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit the United 
States, including the United States Armed Forces, from defending itself 
from attack or imminent danger of attack.

SEC. 6. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``country of Libya'' means the geographic 
area encompassed in the political unit known as ``Libya'' on March 19, 
2011.
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