[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 125 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. J. RES. 125

    To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against the 
terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (``ISIL'').


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 16, 2014

    Mr. Schiff introduced the following joint resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
    To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against the 
terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (``ISIL'').

Whereas for months Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (``ISIL'') has been 
        engaged in an almost unchecked campaign of murder and mayhem across a 
        broad swath of Iraq and Syria that has killed thousands of innocent 
        people and terrorized millions;
Whereas ISIL has brought under its control large areas of Iraq and Syria and 
        announced on June 29, 2014, the establishment of a new caliphate;
Whereas in its conduct of military operations, its treatment of personnel 
        captured on the battlefield, and its behavior towards civilians in areas 
        under its control, ISIL has shown a level of brutality and depravity 
        that shocks the conscience;
Whereas ISIL brutally murdered two American journalists and a British aid worker 
        and has threatened the lives of other western hostages;
Whereas the threat posed by the recruitment of ISIL fighters in the United 
        States and Europe and the prospect of these fighters returning to the 
        United States or allied countries jeopardizes the security of the United 
        States and its allies;
Whereas ISIL poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security 
        and foreign policy of the United States and if left unchecked will be 
        the locus of plots to attack our homeland;
Whereas the rise of ISIL, the continuing threat posed by al Qaeda, and the 
        pending redeployment of United States combat troops from Afghanistan 
        highlight the need to re-examine and harmonize the legal authorities 
        under which the President is authorized to take offensive military 
        action; and
Whereas the President has authority under the Constitution to take action to 
        protect the United States and its citizens from imminent threat or 
        attack but Congress alone holds the power to declare war: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Authorization for Use 
of Military Force Against ISIL Resolution''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--The President is authorized to use the Armed 
Forces of the United States against the Islamic State of Iraq and the 
Levant (``ISIL'').
    (b) Geographical Limitation.--The authority granted in subsection 
(a) shall be confined to the territory of the Republic of Iraq and the 
Syrian Arab Republic. The limitation of this subsection shall not apply 
to the Armed Forces of the United States engaged in training of 
indigenous Syrian or regional military forces for the purpose of 
combating ISIL.
    (c) No Authorization for Use of Ground Forces in Combat.--The 
authority granted in subsection (a) does not include the authority for 
the deployment of ground forces in a combat role. For purposes of this 
subsection, ``ground forces in a combat role'' does not include special 
operations forces or other forces that may be deployed in a training, 
advisory, or intelligence capacity.
    (d) Termination.--The authority granted in subsection (a) shall 
terminate on the date that is 18 months after the date of the enactment 
of this joint resolution.
    (e) War Powers Resolution Requirements.--
            (1) Specific statutory authorization.--Consistent with 
        section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress 
        declares that this section is intended to constitute specific 
        statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of 
        the War Powers Resolution.
            (2) Applicability of other requirements.--Nothing in this 
        joint resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers 
        Resolution.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF PRIOR AUTHORIZATIONS FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED 
              FORCES.

    (a) Repeal.--The following provisions of law are hereby repealed:
            (1) The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against 
        Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243; 50 U.S.C. 1541 
        note).
            (2) The Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 
        107-40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note).
    (b) Effective Date.--The repeal made by subsection (a)(2) shall be 
effective as of the date that is 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this joint resolution.

SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--The President shall, at least once every 60 days 
after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution, submit to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 
of the Senate a report on matters relevant to this joint resolution, 
including actions taken pursuant to the exercise of authority granted 
in section 2 and the status of planning for efforts that are expected 
to be required over the next 60 days.
    (b) Consolidation.--To the extent that the submission of any report 
required in subsection (a) coincides with the submissions of any other 
report on matters relevant to this joint resolution otherwise required 
to be submitted to Congress pursuant to the reporting requirements of 
the War Powers Resolution, all such reports may be submitted as a 
single consolidated report to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate.
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