116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 68 

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. 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress makes the following findings: 

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

6 under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the United 

7 States Constitution. 

8 (2) The President has a constitutional responsi9 bility to take actions to defend the United States, its 

10 territories, possessions, citizens, service members, 

11 and diplomats from attack. 

12 (3) Congress has not yet declared war upon, 

13 nor enacted a specific statutory authorization for use 

14 of military force against, the Islamic Republic of 

15 Iran. The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military 

16 Force (Public Law 107–40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) 
2 

•SJ 68 ES 

1 against the perpetrators of the 9/11 attack and the 

2 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq 

3 Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107–243; 50 U.S.C. 

4 1541 note) do not serve as a specific statutory au5 thorization for the use of force against Iran. 

6 (4) The conflict between the United States and 

7 the Islamic Republic of Iran constitutes, within the 

8 meaning of section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolu9 tion (50 U.S.C. 1543(a)), either hostilities or a situ10 ation where imminent involvement in hostilities is 

11 clearly indicated by the circumstances into which 

12 United States Armed Forces have been introduced. 

13 (5) Members of the United States Armed 

14 Forces and intelligence community, and all those in15 volved in the planning of the January 2, 2020, 

16 strike on Qasem Soleimani, including President 

17 Donald J. Trump, should be commended for their 

18 efforts in a successful mission. 

19 (6) Section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution 

20 (50 U.S.C. 1544(c)) states that ‘‘at any time that 

21 United States Armed Forces are engaged in hos22 tilities outside the territory of the United States, its 

23 possessions and territories without a declaration of 

24 war or specific statutory authorization, such forces 
3 

•SJ 68 ES 

1 shall be removed by the President if the Congress so 

2 directs’’. 

3 (7) More than 100 members of the United 

4 States Armed Forces sustained traumatic brain inju5 ries in the Iranian retaliatory attack on the Ain al6 Assad air base in Iraq despite initial reports that no 

7 casualties were sustained in the attack. 

8 (8) Section 8(c) of the War Powers Resolution 

9 (50 U.S.C. 1547(c)) defines the introduction of the 

10 United States Armed Forces to include ‘‘the assign11 ment of members of such armed forces to command, 

12 coordinate, participate in the movement of, or ac13 company the regular or irregular forces of any for14 eign country or government when such military 

15 forces are engaged, or there exists an imminent 

16 threat that such forces will become engaged in, hos17 tilities’’. 

18 (9) The United States Armed Forces have been 

19 introduced into hostilities, as defined by the War 

20 Powers Resolution, against Iran. 

21 (10) The question of whether United States 

22 forces should be engaged in hostilities against Iran 

23 should be answered following a full briefing to Con24 gress and the American public of the issues at stake, 
4 

•SJ 68 ES 

1 a public debate in Congress, and a congressional 

2 vote as contemplated by the Constitution. 

3 (11) Section 1013 of the Department of State 

4 Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 (50 

5 U.S.C. 1546a) provides that any joint resolution or 

6 bill to require the removal of United States Armed 

7 Forces engaged in hostilities without a declaration of 

8 war or specific statutory authorization shall be con9 sidered in accordance with the expedited procedures 

10 of section 601(b) of the International Security and 

11 Arms Export Control Act of 1976. 

12 SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF THE USE OF UNITED STATES 

13 FORCES FOR HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE IS14 LAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN. 

15 (a) TERMINATION.—Pursuant to section 1013 of the 

16 Department of State Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 

17 1984 and 1985 (50 U.S.C. 1546a), and in accordance with 

18 the provisions of section 601(b) of the International Secu19 rity Assistance and Arms Export Control Act of 1976, 

20 Congress hereby directs the President to terminate the use 

21 of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against the 

22 Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government 

23 or military, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration 

24 of war or specific authorization for use of military force 

25 against Iran. 
5 

•SJ 68 ES 

1 (b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec2 tion shall be construed to prevent the United States from 

3 defending itself from imminent attack. 

Passed the Senate February 13, 2020. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 68 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

To direct the removal of United States Armed 

Congress. public of Iran that have not been authorized by Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Re-