[House Document 115-113]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




115th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - House Document 115-113
 
STATEMENT ON THE APRIL 13, 2018, STRIKING OF MILITARY CHEMICAL WEAPONS-
                      RELATED FACILITIES IN SYRIA

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

   A STATEMENT ON THE APRIL 13, 2018, STRIKING OF MILITARY CHEMICAL 
  WEAPONS-RELATED FACILITIES IN SYRIA, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1543(a); 
              PUBLIC LAW 93-148, SEC. 4(a); (87 STAT. 555)

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


   April 16, 2018.--Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                   ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

79-011                         WASHINGTON : 2018 
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                                           The White House,
                                        Washington, April 15, 2018.
Hon. Paul D. Ryan,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: At approximately 9:00 p.m. Eastern 
Daylight Time on April 13, 2018, at my direction, United States 
military forces, acting in concert with French and British 
military forces, struck Syrian military chemical weapons-
related facilities. The targets of the combined operation were 
a scientific research center installation, a storage facility, 
and a bunker. I directed this action in response to the Syrian 
government's continued and unlawful use of chemical weapons, 
including in the horrific attack in Duma, Syria, on April 7 
that injured or killed numerous innocent civilians. The purpose 
of this military action was to degrade the Syrian military's 
ability to conduct further chemical weapons attacks and to 
dissuade the Syrian government from using or proliferating 
chemical weapons.
    I acted pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct 
foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive 
and in the vital national security and foreign policy interests 
of the United States to promote the stability of the region, to 
deter the use and proliferation of chemical weapons, and to 
avert a worsening of the region's current humanitarian 
catastrophe. The United States will take additional action, as 
necessary and appropriate, to further its important national 
interests.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep 
the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers 
Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the 
Congress in this action.
            Sincerely,
                                                   Donald J. Trump.

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