War Powers Consultation Act of 2014

Summary: War Powers Consultation Act of 2014 - States that: (1) the purpose of this Act is to establish a means by which the judgment of both the President and Congress can be brought to bear when deciding whether the United States should engage in a significant armed conflict; and (2) this Act is not meant to define, circumscribe, or enhance the constitutional war powers of either the executive or legislative branch of government. Repeals the War Powers Resolution.  Establishes the Joint Congressional Consultation Committee.  Directs the President to consult with the Committee: (1) regularly regarding significant matters of foreign policy and national security; (2) before ordering the deployment of members of the Armed Forces into a significant armed conflict, particularly regarding the circumstances necessitating the conflict, the objectives, and the conflict's estimated scope and duration; and (3) at least every two months for the duration of any significant armed conflict.  States that, if the President determines that the need for secrecy or other emergency circumstances preclude carrying out such reporting before significant armed conflict is ordered or begins, the President shall do such reporting not later than three days after the beginning of the significant armed conflict. Declares that, within 30 days after the deployment of members of the Armed Forces into a significant armed conflict for which Congress has not enacted a formal declaration of war or otherwise enacted a specific authorization for the use of military force, the chair and vice chair of the Committee shall introduce a joint resolution of approval. Sets forth related congressional procedures, including the introduction of a joint resolution of disapproval if a vote against a resolution of approval's passage has taken place. States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as modifying U.S. obligations under any treaty or international agreement.

of Approval.--
            (1) Requirement.--Not later than 30 days after the 
        deployment of members of the Armed Forces into a significant 
        armed conflict with respect to which Congress has not enacted a 
        formal declaration of war or otherwise enacted a specific 
        authorization for the use of military force, the chair and vice 
        chair of the Joint Congressional Consultative Committee shall 
        introduce a joint resolution of approval.
            (2) Contents of resolution.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term ``joint resolution of approval'' means a 
        joint resolution the sole matter after the resolving clause of 
        which is as follows: ``That Congress approves the use of 
        members of the Armed Forces for the significant armed conflict 
        covered in the report submitted to the Joint Congressional 
        Consultation Committee pursuant to section 6(b) of the War 
        Powers Consultation Act of 2014 on ___.'', with the blank space 
        being filled with the appropriate date.
            (3) Referral to committee.--A joint resolution of approval 
        introduced in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee on 
        Foreign Relations of the Senate. A joint resolution of approval 
        introduced in the House of Representatives shall be referred to 
        the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (4) Discharge of committee.--If the committee to which is 
        referred a joint resolution of approval has not reported such 
        resolution (or an identical resolution) at the end of 7 
        calendar days after its introduction, such committee shall be 
        deemed to be discharged from further consideration of such 
        resolution and such resolution shall be placed on the 
        appropriate calendar of the House involved.
            (5) Floor consideration.--
                    (A) In general.--When the committee to which a 
                resolution is referred has reported, or has been deemed 
                to be discharged (under paragraph (4)) from further 
                consideration of, a joint resolution of approval, 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 respective House to move to proceed 
                to the consideration of the resolution, and all points 
                of order against the resolution (and against 
                consideration of the resolution) are waived. The motion 
                is highly privileged in the House of Representatives 
                and is privileged in the Senate and is not debatable. 
                The motion is not subject to amendment, or to a motion 
                to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider 
                the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed 
                to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of the resolution is agreed to, the 
                resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the 
                respective House until disposed of.
                    (B) Debate.--Debate on the resolution, and on all 
                debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, 
                shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall 
                be divided equally between those favoring and those 
                opposing the resolution. A motion further to limit 
                debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, 
                or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of other business, or a motion to 
                recommit the resolution is not in order. A motion to 
                reconsider the vote by which the resolution is agreed 
                to or disagreed to is not in order.
                    (C) Vote on final passage.--Immediately following 
                the conclusion of the debate on the joint resolution of 
                approval and a single quorum call at the conclusion of 
                the debate if requested in accordance with the rules of 
                the appropriate House, the vote on final passage of the 
                resolution shall occur.
                    (D) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals 
                from the decisions of the Chair relating to the 
                application of the rules of the Senate or the House of 
                Representatives, as the case may be, to the procedure 
                relating to a joint resolution of approval shall be 
                decided without debate.
            (6) Coordination with action by other house.--If, before 
        the passage by one House of a joint resolution of approval of 
        that House, that House receives from the other House a joint 
        resolution of approval, then the following procedures shall 
        apply:
                    (A) The resolution of the other House shall not be 
                referred to a committee.
                    (B) With respect to the joint resolution of 
                approval of the House receiving the resolution--
                            (i) the procedure in that House shall be 
                        the same as if no resolution had been received 
                        from the other House; but
                            (ii) the vote on final passage shall be on 
                        the resolution of the other House.
            (7) Rules of house of representatives and senate.--This 
        subsection is enacted by Congress--
                    (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the 
                Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, and 
                as such it is deemed a part of the rules of each House, 
                respectively, but applicable only with respect to the 
                procedure to be followed in that House in the case of a 
                joint resolution of approval, 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 either House to change the rules (so far as 
                relating to the procedure of that House) at any time, 
                in the same manner and to the same extent as in the 
                case of any other rule of that House.
    (b) Joint Resolution of Disapproval.--
            (1) Contents of resolution.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term ``joint resolution of disapproval'' means 
        a joint resolution introduced in a House after that House has 
        voted against passage of a joint resolution of approval under 
        subsection (a), the sole matter after the resolving clause of 
        which is as follows: ``That Congress disapproves the use of 
        members of the Armed Forces for the significant armed conflict 
        covered in the report submitted to the Joint Congressional 
        Consultation Committee pursuant to section 6(b) of the War 
        Powers Consultation Act of 2014 on ___.'', with the blank space 
        being filled with the appropriate date.
            (2) Floor consideration.--
                    (A) In general.--After a joint resolution of 
                disapproval has been introduced under this subsection, 
                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 respective House to move to 
                proceed to the consideration of the resolution, and all 
                points of order against the resolution (and against 
                consideration of the resolution) are waived. The motion 
                is highly privileged in the House of Representatives 
                and is privileged in the Senate and is not debatable. 
                The motion is not subject to amendment, or to a motion 
                to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider 
                the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed 
                to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of the resolution is agreed to, the 
                resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the 
                respective House until disposed of.
                    (B) Debate.--Debate on the resolution, and on all 
                debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, 
                shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall 
                be divided equally between those favoring and those 
                opposing the resolution. A motion further to limit 
                debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, 
                or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of other business, or a motion to 
                recommit the resolution is not in order. A motion to 
                reconsider the vote by which the resolution is agreed 
                to or disagreed to is not in order.
                    (C) Vote on final passage.--Immediately following 
                the conclusion of the debate on the joint resolution of 
                disapproval and a single quorum call at the conclusion 
                of the debate if requested in accordance with the rules 
                of the appropriate House, the vote on final passage of 
                the resolution shall occur.
                    (D) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals 
                from the decisions of the Chair relating to the 
                application of the rules of the Senate or the House of 
                Representatives, as the case may be, to the procedure 
                relating to a joint resolution of disapproval shall be 
                decided without debate.
            (3) Coordination with action by other house.--If, before 
        the passage by one House of a joint resolution of disapproval 
        of that House, that House receives from the other House a joint 
        resolution of disapproval, then the following procedures shall 
        apply:
                    (A) The resolution of the other House shall not be 
                referred to a committee.
                    (B) With respect to the joint resolution of 
                disapproval of the House receiving the resolution--
                            (i) the procedure in that House shall be 
                        the same as if no resolution had been received 
                        from the other House; but
                            (ii) the vote on final passage shall be on 
                        the resolution of the other House.
            (4) Rules of house of representatives and senate.--This 
        subsection is enacted by Congress--
                    (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the 
                Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, and 
                as such it is deemed a part of the rules of each House, 
                respectively, but applicable only with respect to the 
                procedure to be followed in that House in the case of a 
                joint resolution of disapproval, 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 either House to change the rules (so far as 
                relating to the procedure of that House) at any time, 
                in the same manner and to the same extent as in the 
                case of any other rule of that House.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as limiting or otherwise affecting the right of any Member of 
Congress to introduce a resolution or bill approving, disapproving, 
expanding, narrowing, or ending a significant armed conflict.

SEC. 8. TREATIES.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed as modifying any obligations 
of the United States under any treaty or international agreement.

SEC. 9. SEVERABILITY.

    If any provision of this Act, or the application of a provision to 
any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of the Act, and the application of the provisions to any 
person or circumstance, shall not be affected by the holding.