[House Document 107-127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

107th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - -House Document 107-127


 
                  REPORT ON ACTIONS TAKEN TO RESPOND
                      TO THE THREAT OF TERRORISM

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 A REPORT, CONSISTENT WITH THE WAR POWERS RESOLUTION AND SENATE JOINT 
RESOLUTION 23, TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE CONGRESS IS KEPT FULLY INFORMED 
         ON ACTIONS TAKEN TO RESPOND TO THE THREAT OF TERRORISM




    September 25, 2001.--Referred to the Committee on International 
                  Relations and ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                    Washington, September 24, 2001.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: On the morning of September 11, 2001, 
terrorists hijacked four U.S. commercial airliners. These 
terrorists coldly murdered thousands of innocent people on 
those airliners and on the ground, and deliberately destroyed 
the towers of the World Trade Center and surrounding buildings 
and a portion of the Pentagon.
    In response to these attacks on our territory, our 
citizens, and our way of life, I ordered the deployment of 
various combat-equipped and combat support forces to a number 
of foreign nations in the Central and Pacific Command areas of 
operations. In the future, as we act to prevent and deter 
terrorism, I may find it necessary to order additional forces 
into these and other areas of the world, including into foreign 
nations where U.S. Armed Forces are already located.
    I have taken these actions pursuant to my constitutional 
authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in 
Chief and Chief Executive. It is not now possible to predict 
the scope and duration of these deployments, and the actions 
necessary to counter the terrorist threat to the United States. 
It is likely that the American campaign against terrorism will 
be a lengthy one.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep 
the Congress informed, consistent with the War Powers 
Resolution and Senate Joint Resolution 23, which I signed on 
September 18, 2001. As you know, officials of my Administration 
and I have been regularly communicating with the leadership and 
other Members of Congress about the actions we are taking to 
respond to the threat of terrorism and we will continue to do 
so. I appreciate the continuing support of the Congress, 
including its passage of Senate Joint Resolution 23, in this 
action to protect the security of the United States of America 
and its citizens, civilian and military, here and abroad.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.

                                
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