II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1325 

To provide that the President must seek congressional approval before engaging members of the United States Armed Forces in military humanitarian 

operations. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 6, 2019 

Mr. LEE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to 

the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To provide that the President must seek congressional approval before engaging members of the United States 

Armed Forces in military humanitarian operations. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Humanitarian 

5 Operations Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MILITARY HUMANITARIAN OPERATION DEFINED. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—In this Act, the term ‘‘military 

8 humanitarian operation’’ means a military operation in9 volving the deployment of members or weapons systems 


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•S 1325 IS

1 of the United States Armed Forces where hostile activities 

2 are reasonably anticipated and with the aim of preventing 

3 or responding to a humanitarian catastrophe, including its 

4 regional consequences, or addressing a threat posed to 

5 international peace and security. The term includes— 

6 (1) operations undertaken pursuant to the prin7 ciple of the ‘‘responsibility to protect’’ as referenced 

8 in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1674 

9 (2006); 

10 (2) operations specifically authorized by the 

11 United Nations Security Council, or other inter12 national organizations; and 

13 (3) unilateral deployments and deployments 

14 made in coordination with international organiza15 tions, treaty-based organizations, or coalitions 

16 formed to address specific humanitarian catas17 trophes. 

18 (b) OPERATIONS NOT INCLUDED.—The term ‘‘mili19 tary humanitarian operation’’ does not mean a military 

20 operation undertaken for the following purposes: 

21 (1) Responding to or repelling attacks, or pre22 venting imminent attacks, on the United States or 

23 any of its territorial possessions, embassies, or con24 sulates, or members of the United States Armed 

25 Forces. 


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1 (2) Direct acts of reprisal for attacks on the 

2 United States or any of its territorial possessions, 

3 embassies, or consulates, or members of the United 

4 States Armed Forces. 

5 (3) Invoking the inherent right to individual or 

6 collective self-defense in accordance with Article 51 

7 of the Charter of the United Nations. 

8 (4) Military missions to rescue United States 

9 citizens or military or diplomatic personnel abroad. 

10 (5) Humanitarian missions in response to nat11 ural disasters where no civil unrest or combat with 

12 hostile forces is reasonably anticipated, and where 

13 such operation is for not more than 30 days. 

14 (6) Actions to maintain maritime freedom of 

15 navigation, including actions aimed at combating pi16 racy. 

17 (7) Training exercises conducted by the United 

18 States Armed Forces abroad where no combat with 

19 hostile forces is reasonably anticipated. 

20 SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT FOR CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZA21 TION. 

22 The President may not deploy members of the United 

23 States Armed Forces into the territory, airspace, or waters 

24 of a foreign country for a military humanitarian operation 

25 not previously authorized by statute unless— 


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1 (1) the President submits to Congress a formal 

2 request for authorization to use members of the 

3 Armed Forces for the military humanitarian oper4 ation; and 

5 (2) Congress enacts a specific authorization for 

6 such use of forces. 

7 SEC. 4. SEVERABILITY. 

8 If any provision of this Act is held to be unconstitu9 tional, the remainder of the Act shall not be affected. 

Æ 


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