IIA 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 54 

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

the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2018 

Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. LEE, and Mr. MURPHY) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

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. 

Whereas Congress has the sole power to declare war under 

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

Whereas 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; 


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•SJ 54 IS 

Whereas, since March 2015, members of the United States 

Armed Forces have been introduced into hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, including 

providing to the Saudi-led coalition aerial targeting assistance, intelligence sharing, and mid-flight aerial refueling; 

Whereas 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; 

Whereas, 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.’’; 

Whereas 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; 

Whereas 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’’; 

Whereas 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 to command, coordinate, participate in 


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•SJ 54 IS 

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; 

Whereas 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); and 

Whereas 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: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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•SJ 54 IS 

1 SECTION 1. REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES 

2 FROM HOSTILITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF 

3 YEMEN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED 

4 BY CONGRESS. 

5 Pursuant to section 1013 of the Department of State 

6 Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 (50 

7 U.S.C. 1546a) and in accordance with the provisions of 

8 section 601(b) of the International Security Assistance 

9 and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 (Public Law 94– 

10 329; 90 Stat. 765), Congress hereby directs the President 

11 to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in 

12 or affecting the Republic of Yemen, except United States 

13 Armed Forces engaged in operations directed at al Qaeda 

14 or associated forces, by not later than the date that is 

15 30 days after the date of the adoption of this joint resolu16 tion (unless the President requests and Congress author17 izes a later date), and unless and until a declaration of 

18 war or specific authorization for such use of United States 

19 Armed Forces has been enacted. 

Æ 


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