IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 83 

Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution 

to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 8, 2020 

Ms. SLOTKIN (for herself, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. 

GALLEGO, Mr. BERA, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. CLAY, Mr. ALLRED, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Ms. SPANBERGER, Mr. TONKO, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. 

JOHNSON of Georgia, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. HOULAHAN, Ms. OMAR, Mr. LARSON

of Connecticut, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. DEUTCH, 

Mr. ENGEL, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. COX of 

California, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. ESCOBAR, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. LEVIN of 

California, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. 

CA ́RDENAS, Mr. SIRES, Ms. WILD, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Miss RICE of 

New York, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. KEATING, 

Ms. HAALAND, Mr. CROW, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. BEYER, 

Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. SHERRILL, 

Mr. SOTO, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 

MALINOWSKI, Ms. WEXTON, Mr. KILDEE, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. COOPER, 

Ms. ESHOO, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. DANNY K. 

DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. WATERS, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. JACKSON LEE, 

Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. 

HIMES, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. KILMER, Mr. WELCH, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

PRESSLEY, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. MCEACHIN, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. 

GABBARD, Mr. TRONE, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Mr. MEEKS, 

Mr. COHEN, Mr. KENNEDY, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, 

Mr. RYAN, Mr. LUJA ́N, Mr. KIND, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. 

VISCLOSKY, Ms. PORTER, Mr. CASE, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. HARDER of California, Mr. CORREA, Mr. NEAL, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. SUOZZI, Ms. 

KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. SHALALA, Mr. PRICE of 

North Carolina, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. KHANNA, 

Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. FRANKEL, Ms. MENG, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. GRIJALVA, 

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. BISHOP of 

Georgia, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. STANTON, Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, 

Mr. JEFFRIES, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mrs. TRAHAN, Ms. 

BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. 


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POCAN, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, 

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mrs. LOWEY, and Ms. 

JAYAPAL) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War 

Powers Resolution to terminate the use of United States 

Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran. 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), 

3 SECTION 1. TERMINATION OF USE OF UNITED STATES 

4 ARMED FORCES TO ENGAGE IN HOSTILITIES 

5 IN OR AGAINST IRAN. 

6 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find7 ings: 

8 (1) The Government of Iran is a leading state 

9 sponsor of terrorism and engages in a range of de10 stabilizing activities across the Middle East. Iranian 

11 General Qassem Soleimani was the lead architect of 

12 much of Iran’s destabilizing activities throughout the 

13 world. 

14 (2) The United States has an inherent right to 

15 self-defense against imminent armed attacks. The 

16 United States maintains the right to ensure the 

17 safety of diplomatic personnel serving abroad. 


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1 (3) In matters of imminent armed attacks, the 

2 executive branch should indicate to Congress why 

3 military action was necessary within a certain win4 dow of opportunity, the possible harm that missing 

5 the window would cause, and why the action was 

6 likely to prevent future disastrous attacks against 

7 the United States. 

8 (4) The United States has national interests in 

9 preserving its partnership with Iraq and other coun10 tries in the region, including by— 

11 (A) combating terrorists, including the Is12 lamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS); 

13 (B) preventing Iran from achieving a nu14 clear weapons capability; and 

15 (C) supporting the people of Iraq, Iran, 

16 and other countries throughout the Middle East 

17 who demand an end to government corruption 

18 and violations of basic human rights. 

19 (5) Over the past eight months, in response to 

20 rising tensions with Iran, the United States has in21 troduced over 15,000 additional forces into the Mid22 dle East. The killing of Iranian General Qassem 

23 Soleimani, as well as Iran’s ballistic missile attack 

24 on Iraqi bases, risks significant escalation in hos25 tilities between the United States and Iran. 


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1 (6) When the United States uses military force, 

2 the American people and members of the United 

3 States Armed Forces deserve a credible explanation 

4 regarding such use of military force. 

5 (7) The War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 

6 1541 et seq.) requires the President to consult with 

7 Congress ‘‘in every possible instance’’ before intro8 ducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities. 

9 (8) Congress has not authorized the President 

10 to use military force against Iran. 

11 (b) TERMINATION.—Pursuant to section 5(c) of the 

12 War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(c)), Congress 

13 hereby directs the President to terminate the use of 

14 United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or 

15 against Iran or any part of its government or military, 

16 unless— 

17 (1) Congress has declared war or enacted spe18 cific statutory authorization for such use of the 

19 Armed Forces; or 

20 (2) such use of the Armed Forces is necessary 

21 and appropriate to defend against an imminent 

22 armed attack upon the United States, its territories 

23 or possessions, or its Armed Forces, consistent with 

24 the requirements of the War Powers Resolution. 


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1 (c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec2 tion may be construed— 

3 (1) to prevent the President from using military 

4 force against al Qaeda or associated forces; 

5 (2) to limit the obligations of the executive 

6 branch set forth in the War Powers Resolution (50 

7 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.); 

8 (3) to affect the provisions of an Act or joint 

9 resolution of Congress specifically authorizing the 

10 use of United States Armed Forces to engage in 

11 hostilities against Iran or any part of its government 

12 or military that is enacted after the date of the 

13 adoption of this concurrent resolution; 

14 (4) to prevent the use of necessary and appro15 priate military force to defend United States allies 

16 and partners if authorized by Congress consistent 

17 with the requirements of the War Powers Resolu18 tion; or 

19 (5) to authorize the use of military force. 

Æ 


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