Library / Laws / 113th / hjres / H.J.Res. 60 / Introduced in House
IA
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. J. RES. 60
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 11, 2013
Mr. DeFazio (for
himself and Mr. Jones) introduced the
following joint resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign
Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on
Rules, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
JOINT RESOLUTION
To amend the War Powers
Resolution.
1.
Short title
This joint resolution may be cited as the
War Powers Amendments of
2013.
2.
Revision of War Powers
Resolution
The War Powers
Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548) is amended by striking out all after the
resolving clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
1.
Short title; purpose;
congressional legislative authority
(a)
Short
title
This joint resolution
may be cited as the War Powers Resolution.
(b)
Purpose
It
is the purpose of this joint resolution to fulfill the intent of the framers of
the Constitution of the United States and ensure that the collective judgment
of both the Congress and the President will apply to—
(1) the introduction
of the Armed Forces into hostilities;
(2) the continued use
of the Armed Forces in hostilities; and
(3) the participation
of the Armed Forces in certain military operations of the United
Nations.
(c)
Congressional
legislative authority
Among the powers granted to the Congress by
the Constitution are—
(1) the power to
declare war;
(2) the power of the
purse (No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of
Appropriations made by Law); and
(3) the power to make
all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution not only its own
powers but also all other powers vested by the Constitution in the Government
of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.
3.
Emergency uses of
the Armed Forces in hostilities
(a)
In
general
The Armed Forces may be introduced into hostilities only
as follows:
(1)
Declaration of
war
Pursuant to a declaration of war by the Congress.
(2)
Specific
statutory authorization
In accordance with a specific statutory
authorization.
(3)
Armed attack on
united states
To the extent necessary—
(A) to repel an armed
attack upon the United States;
(B) to take necessary
and appropriate retaliatory actions in the event of such an attack; or
(C) to forestall the
direct and imminent threat of such an attack.
(4)
Armed attack on
the armed forces
To the extent necessary—
(A) to repel an armed
attack against Armed Forces located outside the United States; or
(B) to forestall the
direct and imminent threat of such an attack.
(5)
Evacuation of
united states citizens
To the extent necessary to protect United
States citizens or nationals while evacuating them as rapidly as possible from
a situation, outside the United States, that directly and imminently threatens
their lives or liberty and—
(A) the threatened
deprivation of life or liberty is contrary to international law or is otherwise
illegal; and
(B) in a case where
the source of the threat is within a foreign country, the threat is supported
by the government of that country or the government of that country is unable
or unwilling to control the situation.
The
President shall make every effort to terminate any such threat without using
the Armed Forces. Before using the Armed Forces to protect United States
citizens or nationals being evacuated from a foreign country in accordance with
this paragraph, the President shall, where possible, obtain the consent of the
government of that country.
(b)
Conditions on
emergency use of armed forces
Any use of the Armed Forces in
accordance with paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a)—
(1) is subject to the
requirements of sections 4, 5, and 6; and
(2) shall be limited,
in terms of the Armed Forces which are used and the manner in which they are
used, to such use as is essential in order to achieve the purpose described in
that paragraph.
(c)
Funding
limitation
Funds appropriated or otherwise made available under
any law may not be obligated or expended for any introduction, other than an
introduction described in subsection (a), of the Armed Forces into
hostilities.
4.
Consultation
between the President and Congress
(a)
Requirements for
consultation
(1) The President, in every
possible instance, shall consult with the Congress before the Armed Forces are
introduced into hostilities in accordance with paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of
section 3(a). After every such introduction, the President shall consult
regularly with the Congress until the Armed Forces are no longer in
hostilities.
(2) The President, in every possible
instance, shall consult with the Congress—
(A) before Armed Forces are introduced
into the territory, airspace, or waters of a foreign country while equipped for
combat, except for deployments which relate solely to supply, replacement,
repair, or training of such forces;
(B) before Armed Forces are introduced
into the territory, airspace, or waters of a foreign country in which there are
already Armed Forces equipped for combat if such introduction would
substantially enlarge the number of Armed Forces equipped for combat located in
that country or otherwise substantially increase the military capabilities of
such forces; or
(C) before committing Armed Forces to an
operation authorized by the United Nations Security Council under chapter VII
of the United Nations Charter.
(b)
Executive-Legislative
consultative group
The consultation required by subsection (a)
shall include participation by—
(1) the President and
those senior executive branch officials designated by the President; and
(2) those Members of
the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and those members of the Senate designated by the President
pro tempore of the Senate.
(c)
What
consultation requires
In order to satisfy the consultation
requirement of this section, the President must ask Members of Congress for
their advice and opinions before the decision is made to introduce the Armed
Forces. Such consultation requires that all information relevant to the
situation must be made available to the Members of Congress being consulted.
The consultation requirement of this section is not met, however, if the
Congress is merely informed about the situation.
5.
Reports to the
Congress
(a)
Reporting
requirement
The President shall submit the report described in
subsection (b) within 48 hours after the Armed Forces are introduced into
hostilities in accordance with paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of section
3(a).
(b)
Description of
report required
The report required by subsection (a) is a
written report submitted by the President to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate on the same
calendar day, setting forth—
(1) the circumstances
necessitating the introduction of the Armed Forces;
(2) the specific
constitutional and legislative authority under which such introduction took
place; and
(3) the estimated
scope and duration of the hostilities or the involvement of the Armed Forces,
as the case may be.
Any such
report shall state expressly that it is being submitted pursuant to this
section.
(c)
Additional
information
The President shall provide such other information as
the Congress may request in the fulfillment of its constitutional
responsibilities with respect to committing the Nation to war and to the use of
the Armed Forces abroad.
(d)
Continuing
reports
Whenever the Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities
the President shall, so long as the Armed Forces continue to be involved in
those or related hostilities, report to the Congress periodically on the status
of such hostilities as well as on the scope and estimated duration of such
hostilities, but in no event shall the President report to the Congress less
often than once every six months.
6.
Congressional
action with respect to hostilities
(a)
Receipt of
section 5(a) report
Each report
submitted pursuant to section 5(a) shall be referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate for appropriate action. If, when the report is
transmitted, the Congress has adjourned sine die or has adjourned for any
period in excess of three calendar days, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, if they deem it
advisable (or if they are petitioned by at least 30 percent of the membership
of their respective Houses) shall jointly request the President to convene the
Congress in order that it may consider the report and take appropriate action
pursuant to this section.
(b)
Requirement for
specific statutory authorization for continued involvement
Within
60 calendar days after the Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities in
accordance with paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of section 3(a), the President shall
remove the Armed Forces from those hostilities unless the Congress—
(1) has declared
war;
(2) has enacted a
joint resolution providing specific authorization for such use of the Armed
Forces;
(3) has extended by
law such 60-day period; or
(4) is physically
unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States.
This
60-day period shall be extended for not more than an additional 30 days if the
President determines and certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable
military necessity respecting the safety of the Armed Forces requires the
continued use of the Armed Forces in the course of bringing about their prompt
removal from hostilities.
(c)
Funding
limitation
Unless one of the numbered paragraphs of subsection
(b) applies, after the expiration of the period specified in that subsection
(including any extension of that period in accordance with that subsection),
funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any law may not be
obligated or expended to continue the involvement of the Armed Forces in the
hostilities. This subsection does not, however, prohibit the use of funds to
remove the Armed Forces from hostilities.
7.
Congressional
expedited procedures
(a)
Resolutions
subject to procedures
As used in this section, the term
privileged resolution means a joint resolution—
(1) that provides
specific authorization for the use of the Armed Forces in hostilities, so long
as that resolution contains only provisions which are relevant to those
hostilities; and
(2) that is introduced
after the President has submitted a written request to the Congress for
enactment of such an authorization with respect to those or related
hostilities.
(b)
Procedure in
house of representatives
(1) This subsection applies
to the consideration of a privileged resolution in the House of
Representatives.
(2) A privileged resolution introduced in
the House of Representatives shall be referred, upon introduction, to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs. A privileged resolution shall not be sequentially
referred.
(3)
(A) If, at the end of 10
calendar days after the introduction of a privileged resolution, the Committee
on Foreign Affairs has not reported that resolution, that committee shall be
discharged from further consideration of that resolution and that resolution
shall be placed on the appropriate calendar of the House.
(B) After a privileged resolution has
been placed on the appropriate calendar, no other resolution with respect to
the same or related hostilities may be reported by or be discharged from any
committee under this subsection while the first resolution—
(i) is before the House of Representatives
(including remaining on the calendar);
(ii) is before the Senate (including
remaining on the calendar) unless the Senate has had a vote on final passage
with respect to the resolution and a majority of those voting did not vote in
the affirmative;
(iii) is before a committee of conference
or otherwise awaiting disposition of amendments between the Houses; or
(iv) is awaiting transmittal to the
President or is before the President.
(4)
(A)
(i) At any time after a
privileged resolution has been placed on the appropriate calendar, it is in
order for any Member of the House of Representatives to move that the House
resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
for the consideration of that resolution. The motion is highly
privileged.
(ii) The motion under clause (i) is in
order even if a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed
to.
(B) All points of order against a
privileged resolution and consideration of the resolution are waived. If the
motion under subparagraph (A) is agreed to, the privileged resolution shall
remain the unfinished business of the House until disposed of, to the exclusion
of all other business (other than a motion to adjourn), except as provided in
paragraph (5)(A). A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is
disagreed to is not in order.
(C) General debate on a privileged
resolution shall not exceed 4 hours, which shall be divided equally between a
Member favoring and a Member opposing the resolution.
(D)
(i) At the conclusion of
general debate, a privileged resolution shall be considered for amendment under
the 5-minute rule.
(ii) Debate on all amendments shall not
exceed 12 hours. After the expiration of that period, no further amendments
shall be in order.
(iii) Except as provided in the next
sentence, debate on each amendment, and any amendments thereto, shall not
exceed one hour. If the Committee on Foreign Affairs reports an amendment in
the nature of a substitute to the text of a privileged resolution, that
amendment shall be considered to be original text for purposes of amendment and
debate on each amendment to that amendment, and any amendments thereto, shall
not exceed one hour.
(E) At the conclusion of consideration of
amendments to a privileged resolution, the Committee of the Whole shall rise
and report the resolution back to the House, and the previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the resolution, with any amendments adopted in the
Committee of the Whole, to final passage without intervening motion, except one
motion to recommit with or without instructions.
(5)
(A) Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), if, before the passage by the House of Representatives of a
privileged resolution of the House, the House receives a privileged resolution
from the Senate with respect to the same or related hostilities, then the
following procedures shall apply:
(i) The resolution of the Senate shall not
be referred to a committee.
(ii) With respect to the privileged
resolution of the House—
(I) the procedure in the House shall be
the same as if no resolution had been received from the Senate; but
(II) the privileged resolution of the
Senate shall be considered to have been read for the third time; the vote on
final passage shall be on the resolution of the Senate (if the resolutions are
identical), or on the resolution of the Senate (if they are not identical) with
the text of the resolution of the House inserted in lieu of the text of the
resolution of the Senate; and the vote on final passage shall occur without
debate or any intervening action.
(iii) Upon disposition of a privileged
resolution received from the Senate, consideration of the privileged resolution
of the House shall no longer be privileged under this section.
(B) If the House receives from the Senate
a privileged resolution before any privileged resolution is introduced in the
House with respect to the same or related hostilities, then the resolution of
the Senate shall be referred to the appropriate committee or committees, and
the procedures in the House with respect to that resolution shall be the same
under this subsection as if the resolution received had been introduced in the
House.
(C) If the House receives from the Senate
a privileged resolution after the House has disposed of an identical privileged
resolution, it shall be in order to proceed by a highly privileged,
nondebatable motion to consideration of the resolution of the Senate, and that
resolution shall be disposed of without debate and without amendment.
(6) A motion to disagree with amendments
of the Senate to a privileged resolution of the House and request or agree to a
conference with the Senate, or a motion to insist on the House amendments to a
privileged resolution of the Senate and request or agree to a conference of the
Senate, is highly privileged.
(7)
(A) If the conferees are
unable to agree on resolving the differences between the two Houses with
respect to a privileged resolution within 72 hours after the second House is
notified that the first House has agreed to conference, they shall report back
to their respective House in disagreement.
(B) Notwithstanding any rule of the House
of Representatives concerning the printing of conference reports in the
Congressional Record or concerning any delay in the consideration of such
reports, a conference report with respect to a privileged resolution, including
a report filed in disagreement, shall be acted on in the House of
Representatives not later than 2 session days after the first House files the
report or, in the case of the House acting first, the report has been available
for 2 hours. The conference report (and any amendment reported in disagreement)
shall be deemed to have been read. Debate on such a conference report shall be
limited to 3 hours, equally divided between, and controlled by the Majority
Leader and the Minority Leader (or their designees).
(C) As used in subparagraph (B), the term
session day means a day on which the House of Representatives
convenes.
(8) This subsection is enacted by the
House of Representatives—
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power
of the House of Representatives, and as such it is deemed a part of the rules
of the House, but applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed
in the House in the case of a privileged resolution, and it supersedes other
rules only to the extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and
(B) with full recognition of the
constitutional right of the House to change its rules (so far as relating to
the procedure of the House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same
extent as in the case of any other rule of the House.
(c)
Procedures in
the senate
(1) This subsection applies
to the consideration of a privileged resolution in the Senate.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, the
term session days means days on which the Senate is in
session.
(3) A privileged resolution introduced in
the Senate shall be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
(4)
(A) If the Committee on
Foreign Relations has not reported a privileged resolution (or an identical
resolution) at the end of 7 calendar days after the introduction of that
resolution, that committee shall be discharged from further consideration of
that resolution, and that resolution shall be placed on the appropriate
calendar of the Senate.
(B) After a committee reports or is
discharged from a privileged resolution, no other resolution with respect to
the same or related hostilities may be reported by or be discharged from such
committee while the first resolution—
(i) is before the Senate (including
remaining on the calendar);
(ii) is before the House of
Representatives (including remaining on the calendar), unless the House has had
a vote on final passage with respect to the resolution and a majority of those
voting did not vote in the affirmative;
(iii) is before a committee of conference
or otherwise awaiting disposition of amendments between the Houses; or
(iv) is awaiting transmittal to the
President or is before the President.
(5)
(A)
(i) When the committee to
which a privileged resolution is referred has reported, or has been discharged
under paragraph (4) from further consideration of that resolution, it is at any
time thereafter in order (even though a previous motion to the same effect has
been disagreed to) for any Member of the Senate to move to proceed to the
consideration of the resolution, notwithstanding any rule or precedent of the
Senate, including Rule 22. Except as provided in clause (ii) of this
subparagraph or subparagraph (B) of this paragraph (insofar as it relates to
germaneness and relevancy of amendments), all points of order against a
privileged resolution and consideration of the resolution are waived. The
motion is privileged and is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a
motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is
agreed to or disagreed to shall be in order, except that such motion may not be
entered for future disposition. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of
a privileged resolution is agreed to, the resolution shall remain the
unfinished business of the Senate, to the exclusion of all other business,
until disposed of, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (6)(A).
(ii) Whenever a point of order is raised
in the Senate against the privileged status of a resolution that has been laid
before the Senate and been initially identified as privileged for consideration
under this subsection upon its introduction, such point of order shall be
submitted directly to the Senate. The point of order, The resolution is
not privileged under the War Powers Resolution, shall be decided by the
yeas and the nays after four hours of debate, equally divided between, and
controlled by, the Member raising the point of order and the manager of the
resolution, except that in the event the manager is in favor of such point of
order, the time in opposition thereto shall be controlled by the Minority
Leader or his designee. Such point of order shall not be considered to
establish precedent for determination of future cases.
(B)
(i) Consideration in the
Senate of a privileged resolution, and all amendments and debatable motions in
connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 12 hours, which, except
as otherwise provided in this subsection, shall be equally divided between, and
controlled by, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, or by their
designees. The Majority Leader or the Minority Leader or their designees may,
from the time under their control on the resolution, allot additional time to
any Senator during the consideration of any amendment, debatable motion, or
appeal.
(ii) Only amendments which are germane
and relevant to a privileged resolution are in order.
(iii) Debate on any amendment to a
privileged resolution shall be limited to two hours, except that this
limitation does not apply to an amendment in the nature of a substitute to the
text of the resolution that is reported by the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Debate on any amendment to an amendment shall be limited to 1 hour.
(iv) The time of debate for each
amendment shall be equally divided between, and controlled by, the mover of the
amendment and the manager of the resolution, except that in the event the
manager is in favor of any such amendment, the time in opposition thereto shall
be controlled by the Minority Leader or his designee.
(v) One amendment by the Minority Leader
is in order to be offered under a one-hour time limitation immediately
following the expiration of the 12-hour time limitation if the Minority Leader
has had no opportunity prior thereto to offer an amendment to the privileged
resolution. One amendment may be offered to the amendment of the Minority
Leader under the preceding sentence, and debate shall be limited on such
amendment to one-half hour which shall be equally divided between, and
controlled by, the mover of the amendment and the manager of the resolution,
except that in the event the manager is in favor of any such amendment, the
time in opposition thereto shall be controlled by the Minority Leader or his
designee.
(vi) A motion to postpone or a motion to
recommit a privileged resolution is not in order. A motion to reconsider the
vote by which a privileged resolution is agreed to or disagreed to is in order,
except that such motion may not be entered for future disposition, and debate
on such motion shall be limited to 1 hour.
(C) Whenever all the time for debate on a
privileged resolution has been used or yielded back, no further amendments may
be proposed, except as provided in subparagraph (B)(iii), and the vote on the
adoption of the resolution shall occur without any intervening motion or
amendment, except that a single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if
requested in accordance with the rules of the Senate may occur immediately
before such vote.
(D) Appeals from the decisions of the
Chair relating to the application of the Rules of the Senate to the procedure
relating to a privileged resolution shall be limited to one-half hour of
debate, equally divided between, and controlled by, the Member making the
appeal and the manager of the resolution, except that in the event the manager
is in favor of any such appeal, the time in opposition thereto shall be
controlled by the Minority Leader or his designee.
(6)
(A) Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), if, before the passage by the Senate of a privileged
resolution of the Senate, the Senate receives a privileged resolution from the
House of Representatives with respect to the same or related hostilities, then
the following procedures shall apply:
(i) The privileged resolution of the House
of Representatives shall not be referred to a committee.
(ii) With respect to the privileged
resolution of the Senate—
(I) the procedure in the Senate shall
be the same as if no resolution had been received from the House of
Representatives; but
(II) the resolution of the House of
Representatives shall be considered to have been read for the third time; the
vote on final passage shall be on the resolution of the House of
Representatives (if such resolutions are identical) or on the resolution of the
House of Representatives (if not identical), with the text of the resolution of
the Senate inserted in lieu of the text of the resolution of the House of
Representatives; and such vote on final passage shall occur without debate or
any intervening action.
(iii) Upon disposition of a privileged
resolution received from the House of Representatives, it shall no longer be in
order to consider the resolution originated in the Senate.
(B) If the Senate receives a privileged
resolution from the House of Representatives before any privileged resolution
is introduced in the Senate with respect to the same or related hostilities,
then the resolution received shall be referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations, and the procedures in the Senate with respect to that resolution
shall be the same under this section as if the resolution received had been
introduced in the Senate.
(7) If the Senate receives a privileged
resolution from the House of Representatives after the Senate has disposed of
an identical privileged resolution, it shall be in order to proceed by
nondebatable motion to consideration of the resolution received by the Senate,
and that resolution shall be disposed of without debate and without
amendment.
(8)
(A)
(i) The time for debate in
the Senate on all motions required for the disposition of amendments between
the Houses shall not exceed 2 hours, equally divided between, and controlled
by, the mover of the motion and the manager of the resolution at each stage of
the proceedings between the two Houses, except that in the event the manager is
in favor of any such motion, the time in opposition thereto shall be controlled
by the Minority Leader or his designee. In the case of any disagreement between
the two Houses of Congress with respect to a privileged resolution which is not
resolved, any Senator may make any motion or motions referred to in this clause
within 2 session days after action by the second House or before the
appointment of conferees, whichever comes first.
(ii) In the event the conferees are
unable to agree within 72 hours after the second House is notified that the
first House has agreed to conference, they shall report back to their
respective House in disagreement.
(iii) Notwithstanding any rule in the Senate
concerning the printing of conference reports in the Congressional Record or
concerning any delay in the consideration of such reports, such report,
including a report filed or returned in disagreement, shall be acted on in the
Senate not later than 2 session days after the first House files the report or,
in the case of the Senate acting first, the report is first made available on
the desks of the Senators. Debate in the Senate on a conference report or a
report filed or returned in disagreement on any such resolution shall be
limited to 3 hours, equally divided between, and controlled by, the Majority
Leader and the Minority Leader, and their designees.
(B) If a privileged resolution is vetoed
by the President, the time for debate in consideration of the veto message on
such measure shall be limited to 20 hours in the Senate, equally divided
between, and controlled by, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, and
their designees.
(9) This subsection is enacted by the
Senate—
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power
of the Senate, as such it is deemed a part of the rules of the Senate but
applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in the Senate in
the case of a privileged resolution, and it supersedes other rules only to the
extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and
(B) with full recognition of the
constitutional right of the Senate to change its rules (so far as relating to
the procedure of the Senate) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same
extent as in the case of any other rule of the Senate.
8.
Judicial
review
(a)
Standing of
members of Congress
Any Member of Congress may bring an action in
the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for declaratory
judgment and injunctive relief on the ground that the President or the Armed
Forces have not complied with any provision of this joint resolution.
(b)
Justiciability
In any action described in subsection (a),
the court shall not decline to make a determination on the merits on the ground
that the issue of compliance is a political question or is otherwise
nonjusticiable.
(c)
Congressional
intent
Notwithstanding the number, position, or party affiliation
of any plaintiffs in an action described in subsection (a), it is the intent of
the Congress that the court—
(1) infer
congressional disapproval of the involvement of the Armed Forces in
hostilities; and
(2) find that an
impasse exists between the Congress and the Executive which requires judicial
resolution.
(d)
Expedited
consideration
Any court in which an action described in
subsection (a) is heard shall accord such action the highest priority and shall
announce its judgment as speedily as the requirements of Article III of the
Constitution permit.
(e)
Judicial
remedy
(1) If
the court in an action described in subsection (a) finds that the President has
failed to submit a report required by section 5(a) of this joint resolution,
the court shall—
(A) direct the President to submit that
report; and
(B) specify the date on which the Armed
Forces were introduced into hostilities.
(2) If the court in an action described
in subsection (a) finds that section 3 or section 6(b) of this joint resolution
has been violated, the court shall direct the President to remove the Armed
Forces from the hostilities. The Armed Forces shall be removed pursuant to the
court’s order—
(A) immediately; or
(B) if the President determines and
certifies to the Congress in writing that unavoidable military necessity
respecting the safety of the Armed Forces requires the continued use of the
Armed Forces in the course of bringing about their prompt removal from
hostilities, within a period not to exceed 30 days after the order is
issued.
(f)
Appeals
Any
judgment in an action described in subsection (a) shall be directly appealable
to the United States Supreme Court.
9.
Rules of
interpretation
(a)
Other statutes
and treaties
Authority to introduce the Armed Forces into
hostilities shall not be inferred—
(1) from any provision
of law (including any provision in effect before the date of enactment of this
joint resolution), including any provision contained in any appropriation Act,
unless that provision specifically authorizes the introduction of the Armed
Forces into hostilities and states that it is intended to constitute specific
statutory authorization within the meaning of this joint resolution; or
(2) from any treaty
heretofore or hereafter ratified unless that treaty is implemented by
legislation specifically authorizing the introduction of the Armed Forces into
hostilities and stating that it is intended to constitute specific statutory
authorization within the meaning of this joint resolution.
(b)
Congressional
action or inaction
The failure of the Congress to adopt a
measure—
(1) terminating,
limiting, or prohibiting the involvement of the Armed Forces in hostilities;
or
(2) finding that the
President or the Armed Forces are acting in violation of this joint
resolution,
may not
be construed as indicating congressional authorization or approval of, or
acquiescence in, the involvement of the Armed Forces in any hostilities or as a
finding by the Congress that such involvement is consistent with this joint
resolution.
10.
Definitions
For purposes of this joint resolution, the
following definitions apply:
(1)
Armed
Forces
The term Armed Forces means the armed forces
of the United States.
(2)
Hostilities
The
term hostilities includes a situation where overt acts of warfare
are taking place, such as—
(A) the exchange of
fire between regular or irregular military forces; or
(B) the aerial or
naval bombardment of military or civilian targets by regular or irregular
military forces,
regardless
of whether the Armed Forces are participating in the exchange of fire or the
bombardment.
(3)
Introduce
The
term introduce includes—
(A) any commitment,
engagement, or other involvement of the Armed Forces in hostilities, including
the taking of self-defense measures by the Armed Forces in response to an
attack or threatened attack;
(B) the assigning or
detailing of members of the Armed Forces to command, coordinate, participate in
the movement of, accompany, or provide logistical support or training for any
foreign regular or irregular military forces if those forces are involved in
hostilities (regardless of whether those hostilities involve insurgent forces
or the military forces of a foreign country); and
(C) the assigning or
detailing of members of the Armed Forces to an operation authorized by the
United Nations Security Council under chapter VII of the United Nations
Charter.
(4)
United states;
country
The terms United States and
country, when used in a geographic sense, include territories and
possessions.
11.
Separability
clause
If any provision of
this joint resolution or the application thereof to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, the remainder of the joint resolution and the application of
such provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected
thereby.
.