[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3563-S3564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4496. Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Flake, and Mr. Nelson) submitted
an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2943, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
Subtitle I--Authority for the Use of Military Force Against the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant
SEC. 1281. 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 subtitle 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
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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. 1282. 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 1285.
(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
subtitle 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. 1283. DURATION OF AUTHORIZATION.
The authorization for the use of military force under this
subtitle shall terminate three years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, unless reauthorized.
SEC. 1284. REPORTS.
The President shall report to Congress at least once every
six months on specific actions taken pursuant to this
authorization.
SEC. 1285. ASSOCIATED PERSONS OR FORCES DEFINED.
In this subtitle, 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. 1286. 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. 1287. 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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