[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 770 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 770

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President 
  Barack Obama should request authorization before sending the United 
                    States Armed Forces into Syria.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2012

 Mr. Pearce submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President 
  Barack Obama should request authorization before sending the United 
                    States Armed Forces into Syria.

Whereas the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Syria under both Hafez al-Assad and 
        Bashar al-Assad has tormented and killed thousands of its citizens;
Whereas the Government of Syria has long threatened its neighbors with military 
        action;
Whereas the Syrian occupation of Lebanon allowed Iranian weapons to pass to 
        terrorist outfits that targeted Israel;
Whereas in 2011, the Syrian people began rising up against the brutal Government 
        of Syria;
Whereas, on March 7, 2012, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta stated that the 
        Obama Administration would get its legal basis for intervening in Syria 
        from either the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or a 
        resolution from the United Nations Security Council before consulting 
        with Congress;
Whereas Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution 
        explicitly grants Congress the authority to declare war;
Whereas, on May 11, 2012, Secretary Panetta claimed in a briefing at the 
        Pentagon that the Obama Administration had intelligence proving al 
        Qaeda's presence in Syria;
Whereas, on May 25, 2012, the Syrian army attacked the towns of Houla, Homs, and 
        Idlib, killing at least 34 children; and
Whereas President Barack Obama has yet to define a clear, achievable goal in 
        placing the United States Armed Forces in Syria: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) only Congress has the constitutional authority to 
        declare war according to Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the 
        United States Constitution;
            (2) President Barack Obama should set clear, definable 
        objectives for the United States Armed Forces to achieve before 
        sending them into battle;
            (3) President Barack Obama should indicate a direct 
        national security interest in placing the United States Armed 
        Forces in harm's way;
            (4) the Government of Syria has surrendered all claims of 
        legitimacy by continually massacring its own people; and
            (5) the Government of Syria should peacefully transfer 
        power to a democratically elected government.
                                 <all>