[House Document 118-72]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




118th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 118-72

 
  A LETTER INFORMING CONGRESS OF ACTION TAKEN CONSISTENT WITH THE WAR 
                  POWERS RESOLUTION, PUBLIC LAW 93-148

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

  A LETTER INFORMING CONGRESS OF ACTION TAKEN CONSISTENT WITH THE WAR 
 POWERS RESOLUTION, PUBLIC LAW 93-148, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1543(c); 
              PUBLIC LAW 93-148, SEC. 4(c); (87 STAT. 555)




  October 30, 2023.--Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                      Washington, October 27, 2023.

Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.

    Dear Mr. Speaker: As I have reported previously, militia 
groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 
(IRGC) have perpetrated a series of attacks against United 
States personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria. Since 
October 17, 2023, these militia groups have conducted numerous 
attacks using unmanned aerial systems and indirect fire, 
injuring several United States service members. A United States 
contractor suffered a fatal cardiac incident while moving to 
shelter during one of these attacks. These attacks have placed 
under grave threat the lives of United States personnel and of 
Coalition forces operating alongside United States forces.
    In response to this series of attacks and continuing 
threats of future attacks, at my direction, on the night of 
October 26, 2023, United States forces conducted targeted 
strikes against facilities in eastern Syria. The precision 
strikes targeted facilities used by the IRGC and IRGC-
affiliated groups for command and control, munitions storage, 
and other purposes. The strikes were intended to establish 
deterrence and were conducted in a manner to limit the risk of 
escalation and avoid civilian casualties. I directed the 
strikes in order to protect and defend our personnel, to 
degrade and disrupt the ongoing series of attacks against the 
United States and our partners, and to deter Iran and Iran-
backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further 
attacks on United States personnel and facilities.
    I directed this military action consistent with my 
responsibility to protect United States citizens both at home 
and abroad and in furtherance of United States national 
security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my 
constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief 
Executive and to conduct United States foreign relations. The 
United States took this necessary and proportionate action 
consistent with international law and in the exercise of the 
United States' inherent right of self-defense as reflected in 
Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. The United States 
stands ready to take further action, as necessary and 
appropriate, to address further threats or attacks.
    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,
                                               Joseph R. Biden, Jr.