[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2647. Mr. LEE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 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 appropriate place, insert the following:
Subtitle __ --Military Humanitarian Operations
SEC. __1. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Military Humanitarian
Operations Act of 2024''.
SEC. __2. MILITARY HUMANITARIAN OPERATION DEFINED.
(a) In General.--In this subtitle, the term ``military
humanitarian operation'' means a military operation involving
the deployment of members, weapons systems, or assets of the
United States Armed Forces to territory, airspace, or waters
where hostile activities are reasonably anticipated and with
the aim of preventing or responding to a humanitarian
catastrophe, including its regional consequences, or
addressing a threat posed to international peace and
security. The term includes--
(1) the use of funds, personnel, or military assets
available to the Department of Defense for permanent or
temporary construction of structures to facilitate the
delivery of humanitarian aid;
(2) the use of funds, personnel, or military assets of the
United States to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid
through a commercial partner;
(3) humanitarian assistance provided under section 2557 or
2561 of title 10, United States Code; and
(4) unilateral deployments and deployments made in
coordination with international organizations, treaty-based
organizations, or coalitions formed to address specific
humanitarian catastrophes.
(b) Operations Not Included.--The term ``military
humanitarian operation'' does not mean a military operation
undertaken for the following purposes:
(1) Responding to or repelling attacks, or preventing
imminent attacks, on the United States or any of its
territorial possessions, embassies, or consulates, or members
of the United States Armed Forces.
(2) Direct acts of reprisal for attacks on the United
States or any of its territorial possessions, embassies, or
consulates, or members of the United States Armed Forces.
(3) Military missions to rescue United States citizens or
military or diplomatic personnel abroad.
(4) Humanitarian missions in response to natural disasters
where no civil unrest or combat with hostile forces is
reasonably anticipated, and where such operation is for not
more than 30 days.
(5) Actions to maintain maritime freedom of navigation,
including actions aimed at combating piracy.
(6) Training exercises conducted by the United States Armed
Forces abroad where no combat with hostile forces is
reasonably anticipated.
SEC. __3. REQUIREMENT FOR CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION.
The President may not deploy members of the United States
Armed Forces into the territory, airspace, or waters of a
foreign country for a military humanitarian operation not
previously authorized by statute unless--
(1) the President submits to Congress a formal request for
authorization to use members of the Armed Forces for the
military humanitarian operation; and
(2) Congress enacts a specific authorization for such use
of forces.
SEC. __4. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this subtitle is held to be
unconstitutional, the remainder of the subtitle shall not be
affected.
______