IA 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 128 

To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against the Islamic 

State of Iraq and the Levant. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut introduced the following joint resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 

Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against 

the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. 

Whereas the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has 

committed gruesome atrocities in Iraq and Syria; 

Whereas ISIL has been instigating sectarian violence that 

threatens the stability of the Middle East region and the 

national security interest of the United States; 

Whereas ISIL has directly threatened the United States and 

has kidnapped and killed United States citizens in Syria; 

Whereas such acts continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy 

of the United States; 


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Whereas such acts render it both necessary and appropriate 

that the United States exercise its rights to self-defense 

and to protect United States citizens both at home and 

abroad; 

Whereas consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public 

Law 93–148), the President authorized a series of limited airstrikes in Iraq to protect United States personnel 

and support certain humanitarian operations; and 

Whereas continued use of the United States Armed Forces 

after the time limitations specified in section 5(b) of the 

War Powers Act requires authorization by the United 

States Congress: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This joint resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Authoriza5 tion for Use of Military Force Against ISIL Resolution’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of Congress that— 

8 (1) the President has rightly committed limited 

9 forces in Iraq to protect United States diplomatic 

10 and military personnel against the threat of the Is11 lamic State of Iraq and the Levant (‘‘ISIL’’); 

12 (2) the President should be commended for au13 thorizing military operations to protect ethnic and 

14 religious minorities from slaughter at the hands of 

15 ISIL and for providing assistance to prevent a hu16 manitarian disaster; 


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1 (3) the President should be commended for 

2 working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization al3 lies to form a coordinated world response to the 

4 threat of ISIL; 

5 (4) if the President determines that it is nec6 essary to use the United States Armed Forces 

7 against ISIL, the President— 

8 (A) should seek consensus in the United 

9 Nations Security Council prior to pursuing a 

10 multilateral military campaign against ISIL; 

11 (B) should endeavor to form a coalition of 

12 allies as broadly based as practicable to support 

13 and participate with the United States Armed 

14 Forces; and 

15 (C) should seek equal participation and as16 sistance from members of the Arab League; and 

17 (5) although military intervention might be nec18 essary to significantly disrupt and degrade ISIL’s 

19 activities and operational capabilities in Iraq and 

20 Syria, a negotiated political solution among ethnic 

21 groups is the only sure solution to end sectarian vio22 lence and reach permanent peace. 


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1 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES 

2 ARMED FORCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH 

3 UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESO4 LUTION. 

5 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President is authorized to 

6 use the United States Armed Forces as the President de7 termines to be necessary and appropriate in order to— 

8 (1) defend the national security of the United 

9 States against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Le10 vant (‘‘ISIL’’); and 

11 (2) enforce a United Nations Security Council 

12 resolution adopted on or after the date of the enact13 ment of this joint resolution that— 

14 (A) provides for multilateral action against 

15 ISIL, including sanctions, humanitarian assist16 ance to those affected by the violence, and the 

17 protection of civilians, refugees, nongovern18 mental organization workers and journalists; 

19 and 

20 (B) authorizes a military force, formed by 

21 a coalition of nations, including members of the 

22 Arab League, under the auspices of the United 

23 Nations Security Council for the individual and 

24 collective self-defense against ISIL and to de25 grade its capacities to commit terrorist acts, deVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:59 Sep 20, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ128.IH HJ128

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1 stabilize peaceful governments, and perpetuate 

2 further attacks. 

3 (b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in sub4 section (a) shall be construed to prevent or otherwise limit 

5 the authority of the Armed Forces to use all appropriate 

6 force for self-defense and enforcement purposes. 

7 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES 

8 ARMED FORCES IN ABSENCE OF UNITED NA9 TIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION. 

10 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President is authorized to 

11 use the United States Armed Forces as the President de12 termines to be necessary and appropriate to defend the 

13 national security of the United States against the Islamic 

14 State of Iraq and the Levant (‘‘ISIL’’), other than the 

15 use of such Armed Forces in direct ground combat oper16 ations, if— 

17 (1) the President submits to the Speaker of the 

18 House of Representatives and the President pro 

19 tempore of the Senate— 

20 (A) a certification described in subsection 

21 (b); and 

22 (B) a strategy for the use of military force 

23 against ISIL; and 


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1 (2) a joint resolution that meets the require2 ments of a qualifying resolution under section 5 is 

3 enacted into law. 

4 (b) CERTIFICATION DESCRIBED.—A certification de5 scribed in this subsection is a certification that— 

6 (1)(A) the United States has sought adoption 

7 by the United Nations Security Council of a resolu8 tion described in section 2(4), and the Security 

9 Council has failed to adopt such a resolution, and no 

10 other action taken by the United Nations Security 

11 Council has been sufficient to compel action against 

12 ISIL; or 

13 (B) the United Nations Security Council has 

14 passed a resolution that does not sanction the use of 

15 force, and— 

16 (i) the United Nations Security Council is 

17 unlikely to take further action that will result 

18 in authorizing military action; and 

19 (ii) the use of military force against ISIL 

20 is necessary to combat its threat; and 

21 (2) the United States is in the process of estab22 lishing, or has established, a coalition of other coun23 tries as broadly based as practicable to support and 

24 participate with the United States in any action that 

25 is taken against ISIL. 


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1 SEC. 5. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF 

2 JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING USE OF 

3 FORCE UNDER SECTION 4. 

4 (a) QUALIFYING RESOLUTION.—(1) This section ap5 plies with respect to a joint resolution of the Senate or 

6 House of Representatives— 

7 (A) that is a qualifying resolution; and 

8 (B) that is introduced (by request) by a quali9 fying Member as described in paragraph (2) not 

10 later than the next legislative day after the date of 

11 submission of a certification described in section 

12 4(b) by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 

13 and the President pro tempore of the Senate; and 

14 (C) the text of which is as follows: ‘‘The Presi15 dent is authorized to use the United States Armed 

16 Forces as the President determines to be necessary 

17 and appropriate to defend the national security of 

18 the United States against the Islamic State of Iraq 

19 and the Levant (‘ISIL’), other than the use of such 

20 Armed Forces in direct ground combat operations.’’. 

21 (2) For purposes of this subsection, a qualifying 

22 Member is— 

23 (A) in the case of the House of Representatives, 

24 the majority leader or minority leader of the House 

25 of Representatives; and 


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1 (B) in the case of the Senate, the majority lead2 er or minority leader of the Senate. 

3 (b) PLACEMENT ON CALENDAR.—Upon introduction 

4 in either House of a resolution described in subsection (a), 

5 the resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar 

6 of the House involved. 

7 (c) CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENT8 ATIVES.—(1) A resolution described in subsection (a) shall 

9 be considered in the House of Representatives in accord10 ance with the provisions of this subsection. 

11 (2) On or after the first legislative day after the day 

12 on which such a resolution is introduced, it is in order 

13 (even though a previous motion to the same effect has 

14 been disagreed to) for any Member of the House of Rep15 resentatives to move to proceed to the consideration of the 

16 resolution. All points of order against the resolution (and 

17 against consideration of the resolution) are waived. Such 

18 a motion is privileged and is not debatable. An amendment 

19 to the motion is not in order. It shall not be in order to 

20 move to postpone the motion or to proceed to the consider21 ation of other business. A motion to reconsider the vote 

22 by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not 

23 be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration 

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1 olution without intervening motion, and the resolution 

2 shall remain the unfinished business of the House of Rep3 resentatives until disposed of. 

4 (3) Debate on the resolution shall be limited to not 

5 more than a total of 20 hours, which shall be divided 

6 equally between the majority leader and the minority lead7 er or their designees. A motion to further limit debate is 

8 not debatable. An amendment to, or motion to recommit, 

9 the resolution is not in order. 

10 (4) Immediately following the conclusion of the de11 bate on the resolution, the vote on final passage of the 

12 resolution shall occur. 

13 (5) A motion to reconsider the vote by which the reso14 lution is agreed to or disagreed to is not in order. 

15 (d) CONSIDERATION IN SENATE.—(1) A resolution 

16 described in subsection (a) shall be considered in the Sen17 ate in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. 

18 (2) On or after the first legislative day after the day 

19 on which such a resolution is introduced, it is in order 

20 (even though a previous motion to the same effect has 

21 been disagreed to) for any Member of the Senate to move 

22 to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. All points 

23 of order against the resolution (and against consideration 

24 of the resolution) are waived. The motion is privileged and 

25 is not debatable. The motion is not subject to amendment, 


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1 or to a motion to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to 

2 the consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider 

3 the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed 

4 to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the 

5 consideration of the resolution is agreed to, the Senate 

6 shall immediately proceed to consideration of the resolu7 tion without intervening motion, order, or other business, 

8 and the resolution shall remain the unfinished business of 

9 the Senate until disposed of. 

10 (3) Debate on the resolution, and on all debatable 

11 motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be lim12 ited to not more than a total of 20 hours, which shall be 

13 divided equally between the majority leader and the minor14 ity leader or their designees. A motion to further limit de15 bate is not debatable. An amendment to, or motion to re16 commit, the resolution is not in order. 

17 (4) Immediately following the conclusion of the de18 bate on a resolution and a single quorum call at the con19 clusion of the debate if requested in accordance with the 

20 rules of the Senate, the vote on final passage of the resolu21 tion shall occur. 

22 (5) A motion to reconsider the vote by which the reso23 lution is agreed to or disagreed to is not in order. 

24 (6) Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating 

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1 dure relating to a resolution described in subsection (a) 

2 shall be decided without debate. 

3 (e) ACTION ON MEASURE FROM OTHER HOUSE.— 

4 (1) If, before the passage by one House of a resolution 

5 of that House described in subsection (a), that House re6 ceives from the other House a resolution described in sub7 section (a), then the following procedures shall apply: 

8 (A) The resolution of the other House shall not 

9 be referred to a committee and may not be consid10 ered in the House receiving it except as provided in 

11 subparagraph (B)(ii). 

12 (B) With respect to a resolution described in 

13 subsection (a) of the House receiving the resolu14 tion— 

15 (i) the procedure in that House shall be 

16 the same as if no resolution had been received 

17 from the other House; but 

18 (ii) the vote on final passage shall be on 

19 the resolution of the other House. 

20 (2) Upon disposition pursuant to paragraph 

21 (1)(B)(ii) of a resolution described in subsection (a) that 

22 is received by one House from the other House, it shall 

23 no longer be in order to consider such a resolution that 

24 was introduced in the receiving House. 


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1 (f) LEGISLATIVE DAY DEFINED.—For the purposes 

2 of this section, with respect to either House of Congress, 

3 a ‘‘legislative day’’ is a calendar day on which that House 

4 is in session. 

5 (g) SECTION ENACTED AS EXERCISE OF RULE6 MAKING POWER OF THE TWO HOUSES.—The provisions 

7 of this section (other than subsection (h)) are enacted by 

8 the Congress— 

9 (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of 

10 the House of Representatives and the Senate, re11 spectively, and, as such, shall be considered as part 

12 of the rules of either House and shall supersede 

13 other rules only to the extent they are inconsistent 

14 therewith; and 

15 (2) with full recognition of the constitutional 

16 right of either House to change the rules (so far as 

17 they relate to the procedures of that House) at any 

18 time, in the same manner, and to the same extent 

19 as in the case of any other rule of that House. 

20 (h) PRESIDENTIAL RECALL OF CONGRESS.—In the 

21 event that Congress is not in session upon submission of 

22 a Presidential certification under section 4, the President 

23 is authorized to convene a special session of the Congress 

24 to allow consideration of a joint resolution under this sec25 tion. 


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1 SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—At least once every 60 days after 

3 the date of the enactment of this joint resolution, the 

4 President shall transmit to Congress a report on matters 

5 relevant to this joint resolution. The President shall in6 clude in such report when, where, and under what cir7 cumstances lethal force has been used pursuant to the au8 thorization for use of the United States Armed Forces 

9 under section 3 or 4 (as the case may be), and how many 

10 civilian casualties have resulted from those actions as well 

11 as an estimate of expenditures by the United States and 

12 allied nations to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the 

13 Levant (‘‘ISIL’’). The President shall include in such re14 port the status of planning for efforts that are expected 

15 to be required for the redeployment of United States 

16 Armed Forces after actions taken pursuant to this joint 

17 resolution are completed. 

18 (b) CONSULTATION.—The President shall consult on 

19 a regular basis with the congressional committees of juris20 diction to provide updated information on actions being 

21 taken pursuant to this joint resolution in either public or 

22 closed sessions. 

23 SEC. 7. WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS. 

24 (a) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION.—Con25 sistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, 

26 the Congress declares that section 3 or 4 (as the case may 


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1 be) is intended to constitute specific authorization within 

2 the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution. 

3 (b) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS.— 

4 Nothing in this resolution supersedes any requirement of 

5 the War Powers Resolution. 

6 SEC. 8. INHERENT RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE. 

7 Nothing in this joint resolution is intended to dero8 gate or otherwise limit the authority of the President to 

9 use military force in self-defense pursuant to the Constitu10 tion of the United States and the War Powers Resolution. 

11 SEC. 9. REPEALS. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the fol13 lowing provisions of law are hereby repealed: 

14 (1) The Authorization for Use of Military Force 

15 Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107– 

16 243). 

17 (2) The Authorization for Use of Military Force 

18 (Public Law 107–40). 

19 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The repeal made by sub20 section (a)(2) shall be effective as of the date that is two 

21 years after the date of the enactment of this joint resolu22 tion. 

23 SEC. 10. SUNSET. 

24 This joint resolution and the authorities under this 

25 joint resolution (other than section 9) shall expire on the 


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1 date that is two years after the date of the enactment of 

2 this joint resolution. 

Æ 


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