[House Document 113-54]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



113th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 113-54


 
  DRAFT LEGISLATION REGARDING AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES 
         ARMED FORCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

  DRAFT LEGISLATION REGARDING AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES 
         ARMED FORCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA




 September 6, 2013.--Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                       Washington, August 31, 2013.

Hon. John Boehner,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.

    Dear Mr. Speaker: I transmit herewith the attached draft 
legislation regarding Authorization for Use of United States 
Armed Forces in connection with the conflict in Syria.
            Sincerely,

                                                      Barack Obama.
    Whereas, on August 21, 2013, the Syrian government carried 
out a chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus, 
Syria, killing more than 1,000 innocent Syrians;
    Whereas these flagrant actions were in violation of 
international norms and the laws of war;
    Whereas the United States and 188 other countries 
comprising 98 percent of the world's population are parties to 
the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the 
development, production, acquisition, stockpiling or use of 
chemical weapons;
    Whereas, in the Syria Accountability and Lebanese 
Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, Congress found that 
Syria's acquisition of weapons of mass destruction threatens 
the security of the Middle East and the national security 
interests of the United States;
    Whereas the United Nations Security Council, in Resolution 
1540 (2004), affirmed that the proliferation of nuclear, 
chemical and biological weapons constitutes a threat to 
international peace and security;
    Whereas, the objective of the United States' use of 
military force in connection with this authorization should be 
to deter, disrupt, prevent, and degrade the potential for, 
future uses of chemical weapons or other weapons of mass 
destruction;
    Whereas, the conflict in Syria will only be resolved 
through a negotiated political settlement, and Congress calls 
on all parties to the conflict in Syria to participate urgently 
and constructively in the Geneva process; and
    Whereas, unified action by the legislative and executive 
branches will send a clear signal of American resolve.

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

    (a) Authorization.--The President is authorized to use the 
Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be 
necessary and appropriate in connection with the use of 
chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in the 
conflict in Syria in order to--
          (1) prevent or deter the use or proliferation 
        (including the transfer to terrorist groups or other 
        state or non-state actors), within, to or from Syria, 
        of any weapons of mass destruction, including chemical 
        or biological weapons or components of or materials 
        used in such weapons; or
          (2) protect the United States and its allies and 
        partners against the threat posed by such weapons.
    (b) 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.

                                  
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