U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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★ 29–011 2013

113th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 113–54 

DRAFT LEGISLATION REGARDING AUTHORIZATION 

FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN 

CONNECTION WITH THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA 

COMMUNICATION 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

DRAFT LEGISLATION REGARDING AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF 

UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE 

CONFLICT IN SYRIA 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013.—Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

ordered to be printed 

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(1) 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, August 31, 2013. 

Hon. JOHN BOEHNER, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I transmit herewith the attached draft legislation regarding Authorization for Use of United States Armed 

Forces in connection with the conflict in Syria. 

Sincerely, 

BARACK OBAMA. 

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Whereas, on August 21, 2013, the Syrian government carried out 

a chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus, Syria, killing more than 1,000 innocent Syrians; 

Whereas these flagrant actions were in violation of international 

norms and the laws of war; 

Whereas the United States and 188 other countries comprising 

98 percent of the world’s population are parties to the Chemical 

Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, 

acquisition, stockpiling or use of chemical weapons; 

Whereas, in the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 

Restoration Act of 2003, Congress found that Syria’s acquisition of 

weapons of mass destruction threatens the security of the Middle 

East and the national security interests of the United States; 

Whereas the United Nations Security Council, in Resolution 1540 

(2004), affirmed that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons constitutes a threat to international peace and security; 

Whereas, the objective of the United States’ use of military force 

in connection with this authorization should be to deter, disrupt, 

prevent, and degrade the potential for, future uses of chemical 

weapons or other weapons of mass destruction; 

Whereas, the conflict in Syria will only be resolved through a negotiated political settlement, and Congress calls on all parties to 

the conflict in Syria to participate urgently and constructively in 

the Geneva process; and 

Whereas, unified action by the legislative and executive branches 

will send a clear signal of American resolve. 

SEC. l. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED 

FORCES. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President is authorized to use the 

Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in connection with the use of chemical 

weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in the conflict in 

Syria in order to— 

(1) prevent or deter the use or proliferation (including the 

transfer to terrorist groups or other state or non-state actors), 

within, to or from Syria, of any weapons of mass destruction, 

including chemical or biological weapons or components of or 

materials used in such weapons; or 

(2) protect the United States and its allies and partners 

against the threat posed by such weapons. 

(b) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS.— 

(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION.—Consistent with 

section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

War Powers Resolution. 

(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—Nothing in this 

joint resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers 

Resolution. 

Æ 

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