S. J. Res. 68 

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty 

Joint Resolution 

To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the 

Islamic Republic of Iran 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) The President has a constitutional responsibility to 

take actions to defend the United States, its territories, possessions, citizens, service members, and diplomats from attack. 

(3) Congress has not yet declared war upon, nor enacted 

a specific statutory authorization for use of military force 

against, the Islamic Republic of Iran. The 2001 Authorization 

for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 

note) against the perpetrators of the 9/11 attack and the 

Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution 

of 2002 (Public Law 107–243; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) do not 

serve as a specific statutory authorization for the use of force 

against Iran. 

(4) The conflict between the United States and the Islamic 

Republic of Iran 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. 

(5) Members of the United States Armed Forces and intelligence community, and all those involved in the planning of 

the January 2, 2020, strike on Qasem Soleimani, including 

President Donald J. Trump, should be commended for their 

efforts in a successful mission. 

(6) 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’’. 

(7) More than 100 members of the United States Armed 

Forces sustained traumatic brain injuries in the Iranian retaliatory attack on the Ain al-Assad air base in Iraq despite initial 

reports that no casualties were sustained in the attack. 

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

1547(c)) defines the introduction of the United States Armed 
S. J. Res. 68—2 

Forces to include ‘‘the assignment of members of such armed 

forces to command, coordinate, participate in the movement 

of, or accompany the regular or irregular 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’’. 

(9) The United States Armed Forces have been introduced 

into hostilities, as defined by the War Powers Resolution, 

against Iran. 

(10) The question of whether United States forces should 

be engaged in hostilities against Iran should be answered following a full briefing to Congress and the American public 

of the issues at stake, a public debate in Congress, and a 

congressional vote as contemplated by the Constitution. 

(11) 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. 

SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF THE USE OF UNITED STATES FORCES FOR 

HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN. 

(a) TERMINATION.—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, Congress hereby directs the President to terminate 

the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against the 

Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government or military, 

unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific 

authorization for use of military force against Iran. 

(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be 

construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from 

imminent attack. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.