[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4208 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4208

  To authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces against the 
                 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 10, 2015

 Mr. Rigell (for himself and Mr. Welch) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces against the 
                 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

    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 ``Authority for the Use of Military 
Force Against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The terrorist organization that has referred to itself 
        as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and various other 
        names (in this resolution referred to as ``ISIL'') poses a 
        grave threat to the people and territorial integrity of Iraq 
        and Syria, regional stability, and the national security 
        interests of the United States and its allies and partners.
            (2) ISIL holds significant territory in Iraq and Syria and 
        has stated its intention to seize more territory and 
        demonstrated the capability to do so.
            (3) ISIL leaders have stated that they intend to conduct 
        terrorist attacks internationally, including against the United 
        States, its citizens, and interests.
            (4) ISIL has committed despicable acts of violence and mass 
        executions against Muslims, regardless of sect, who do not 
        subscribe to ISIL's depraved, violent, and oppressive ideology.
            (5) ISIL has threatened genocide and committed vicious acts 
        of violence against religious and ethnic minority groups, 
        including Iraqi Christian, Yezidi, and Turkmen populations.
            (6) ISIL has targeted innocent women and girls with 
        horrific acts of violence, including abduction, enslavement, 
        torture, rape, and forced marriage.
            (7) ISIL is responsible for the deaths of innocent United 
        States citizens, including James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Abdul-
        Rahman Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller.
            (8) The United States is working with regional and global 
        allies and partners to degrade and defeat ISIL, to cut off its 
        funding, to stop the flow of foreign fighters to its ranks, and 
        to support local communities as they reject ISIL.
            (9) The announcement of the anti-ISIL Coalition on 
        September 5, 2014, during the NATO Summit in Wales, stated that 
        ISIL poses a serious threat and should be countered by a broad 
        international coalition.
            (10) The United States calls on its allies and partners, 
        particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, to join the 
        anti-ISIL Coalition and defeat this terrorist threat.
            (11) President Barack Obama, United States military 
        leaders, and United States allies in the region have made clear 
        that it is more effective to use the unique capabilities of the 
        United States Government to support regional partners instead 
        of large-scale deployments of United States ground forces in 
        this mission.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Authorization.--The President is authorized to use the Armed 
Forces of the United States as the President determines necessary and 
appropriate against ISIL or associated persons or forces as defined in 
section 6.
    (b) War Powers Resolution Requirements.--
            (1) Specific statutory authorization.--Consistent with 
        section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 
        1547(a)(1)), Congress declares that this section is intended to 
        constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning 
        of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 
        1544(b)).
            (2) Applicability of other requirements.--Nothing in this 
        Act supersedes any requirements of the War Powers Resolution 
        (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.).
    (c) Purpose.--The purpose of this authorization is to protect the 
lives of United States citizens and to provide military support to 
regional partners in their battle to defeat ISIL. The use of 
significant United States ground troops in combat against ISIL, except 
to protect the lives of United States citizens from imminent threat, is 
not consistent with such purpose.

SEC. 4. DURATION OF AUTHORIZATION.

    The authorization for the use of military force under this Act 
shall terminate three years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, unless reauthorized.

SEC. 5. REPORTS.

    The President shall report to Congress at least once every six 
months on specific actions taken pursuant to this authorization.

SEC. 6. ASSOCIATED PERSONS OR FORCES DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``associated persons or forces''--
            (1) means individuals and organizations fighting for, on 
        behalf of, or alongside ISIL or any closely related successor 
        entity in hostilities against the United States or its 
        coalition partners; and
            (2) refers to any individual or organization that presents 
        a direct threat to members of the United States Armed Forces, 
        coalition partner forces, or forces trained by the coalition, 
        in their fight against ISIL.

SEC. 7. REPEAL OF AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ.

    The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution 
of 2002 (Public Law 107-243; 116 Stat. 1498; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) is 
hereby repealed.

SEC. 8. SOLE STATUTORY AUTHORITY FOR MILITARY ACTION AGAINST ISIL.

    This authorization shall constitute the sole statutory authority 
for United States military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and 
the Levant and associated persons or forces, and supersedes any prior 
authorization for the use of military force involving action against 
ISIL.
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