S. J. Res. 7 

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE FIRST SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and nineteen 

Joint Resolution 

To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic 

of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. 

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) Congress has the sole power to declare war under 

article I, section 8, clause 11 of the United States Constitution. 

(2) Congress has not declared war with respect to, or provided a specific statutory authorization for, the conflict between 

military forces led by Saudi Arabia, including forces from the 

United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, 

Morocco, Senegal, and Sudan (the Saudi-led coalition), against 

the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, in the Republic of 

Yemen. 

(3) Since March 2015, members of the United States Armed 

Forces have been introduced into hostilities between the Saudiled coalition and the Houthis, including providing to the Saudiled coalition aerial targeting assistance, intelligence sharing, 

and mid-flight aerial refueling. 

(4) The United States has established a Joint Combined 

Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia, in which members of the 

United States Armed Forces assist in aerial targeting and 

help to coordinate military and intelligence activities. 

(5) In December 2017, Secretary of Defense James N. 

Mattis stated, ‘‘We have gone in to be very—to be helpful 

where we can in identifying how you do target analysis and 

how you make certain you hit the right thing.’’. 

(6) The conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the 

Houthis constitutes, within the meaning of section 4(a) of the 

War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1543(a)), either hostilities 

or a situation where imminent involvement in hostilities is 

clearly indicated by the circumstances into which United States 

Armed Forces have been introduced. 

(7) Section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 

1544(c)) states that ‘‘at any time that United States Armed 

Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the 

United States, its possessions and territories without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such forces shall 

be removed by the President if the Congress so directs’’. 

(8) Section 8(c) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 

1547(c)) defines the introduction of United States Armed Forces 

to include ‘‘the assignment of members of such armed forces 
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to command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or 

accompany the regular or irregular military forces of any foreign country or government when such military forces are 

engaged, or there exists an imminent threat that such forces 

will become engaged, in hostilities,’’ and activities that the 

United States is conducting in support of the Saudi-led coalition, including aerial refueling and targeting assistance, fall 

within this definition. 

(9) Section 1013 of the Department of State Authorization 

Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 (50 U.S.C. 1546a) provides 

that any joint resolution or bill to require the removal of United 

States Armed Forces engaged in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization shall be considered in accordance with the expedited procedures of section 

601(b) of the International Security and Arms Export Control 

Act of 1976 (Public Law 94–329; 90 Stat. 765). 

(10) No specific statutory authorization for the use of 

United States Armed Forces with respect to the conflict between 

the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis in Yemen has been 

enacted, and no provision of law explicitly authorizes the provision of targeting assistance or of midair refueling services to 

warplanes of Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates that 

are engaged in such conflict. 

SEC. 2. REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN THAT HAVE NOT 

BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS. 

Pursuant to section 1013 of the Department of State Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 (50 U.S.C. 1546a) and in 

accordance with the provisions of section 601(b) of the International 

Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 (Public 

Law 94–329; 90 Stat. 765), Congress hereby directs the President 

to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or 

affecting the Republic of Yemen, except United States Armed Forces 

engaged in operations directed at al Qaeda or associated forces, 

by not later than the date that is 30 days after the date of the 

enactment of this joint resolution (unless the President requests 

and Congress authorizes a later date), and unless and until a 

declaration of war or specific authorization for such use of United 

States Armed Forces has been enacted. For purposes of this resolution, in this section, the term ‘‘hostilities’’ includes in-flight refueling 

of non-United States aircraft conducting missions as part of the 

ongoing civil war in Yemen. 

SEC. 3. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING CONTINUED MILITARY 

OPERATIONS AND COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL. 

Nothing in this joint resolution shall be construed to influence 

or disrupt any military operations and cooperation with Israel. 

SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING INTELLIGENCE 

SHARING. 

Nothing in this joint resolution may be construed to influence 

or disrupt any intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative 

activities relating to threats in or emanating from Yemen conducted 

by, or in conjunction with, the United States Government 

involving— 

(1) the collection of intelligence; 

(2) the analysis of intelligence; or 
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(3) the sharing of intelligence between the United States 

and any coalition partner if the President determines such 

sharing is appropriate and in the national security interests 

of the United States. 

SEC. 5. REPORT ON RISKS POSED BY CEASING SAUDI ARABIA SUPPORT 

OPERATIONS. 

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 

this joint resolution, the President shall submit to Congress a 

report assessing the risks posed to United States citizens and 

the civilian population of Saudi Arabia and the risk of regional 

humanitarian crises if the United States were to cease support 

operations with respect to the conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis in Yemen. 

SEC. 6. REPORT ON INCREASED RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACKS TO 

UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES ABROAD, ALLIES, AND 

THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES IF SAUDI ARABIA 

CEASES YEMEN-RELATED INTELLIGENCE SHARING WITH 

THE UNITED STATES. 

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 

this joint resolution, the President shall submit to Congress a 

report assessing the increased risk of terrorist attacks on United 

States Armed Forces abroad, allies, and to the continental United 

States if the Government of Saudi Arabia were to cease Yemenrelated intelligence sharing with the United States. 

SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING NO AUTHORIZATION 

FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE. 

Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution 

(50 U.S.C. 1547(a)(1)), nothing in this joint resolution may be construed as authorizing the use of military force. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.