IA 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 27 
To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against the terrorist 
organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (‘‘ISIL’’). 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 2, 2015 
Mr. SCHIFF introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against 
the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and the 
Levant (‘‘ISIL’’). 
Whereas for months the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 
(‘‘ISIL’’) has been engaged in a campaign of murder and 
mayhem across a broad swath of Iraq and Syria that has 
killed thousands of innocent people and terrorized mil-
lions; 
Whereas ISIL has brought under its control large areas of 
Iraq and Syria and announced on June 29, 2014, the es-
tablishment of a new caliphate; 
Whereas in its conduct of military operations, its treatment 
of personnel captured on the battlefield, and its behavior 
towards civilians in areas under its control, ISIL has 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:10 Feb 03, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HJ27.IH
HJ27
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HJ 27 IH 
shown a level of brutality and depravity that shocks the 
conscience; 
Whereas ISIL has murdered American, British, and Japa-
nese hostages and continues to hold and threaten the 
lives of other western hostages; 
Whereas the threat posed by the recruitment of ISIL fighters 
in the United States and Europe and the prospect of 
these fighters returning to the United States or allied 
countries jeopardizes the security of the United States 
and its allies; 
Whereas ISIL poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to 
the national security and foreign policy of the United 
States and if left unchecked will be the locus of plots to 
attack our homeland; 
Whereas the rise of ISIL, the continuing threat posed by al 
Qaeda, and the redeployment of United States combat 
troops from Afghanistan highlight the need to re-examine 
and harmonize the legal authorities under which the 
President is authorized to take offensive military action; 
and 
Whereas the President has authority under the Constitution 
to take action to protect the United States and its citi-
zens from imminent threat or attack but Congress alone 
holds the power to declare war: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This joint resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Authoriza-
tion for Use of Military Force Against ISIL Resolution’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 Feb 03, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HJ27.IH
HJ27
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HJ 27 IH 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES 
ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President is authorized to 
use the Armed Forces of the United States against the 
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (‘‘ISIL’’). 
(b) GEOGRAPHICAL
LIMITATION.—The authority 
granted in subsection (a) shall be confined to the territory 
of the Republic of Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic. The 
limitation of this subsection shall not apply to the Armed 
Forces of the United States engaged in training of indige-
nous Syrian or regional military forces for the purpose of 
combating ISIL. 
(c) NO AUTHORIZATION
FOR USE
OF GROUND 
FORCES
IN COMBAT.—The authority granted in sub-
section (a) does not include the authority for the deploy-
ment of ground forces in a combat role. For purposes of 
this subsection, ‘‘ground forces in a combat role’’ does not 
include special operations forces or other forces that may 
be deployed in a training, advisory, search and rescue, or 
intelligence capacity. 
(d) TERMINATION.—The authority granted in sub-
section (a) shall terminate on the date that is three years 
after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution. 
(e) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) SPECIFIC
STATUTORY
AUTHORIZATION.— 
Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 Feb 03, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HJ27.IH
HJ27
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HJ 27 IH 
Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is 
intended to constitute specific statutory authoriza-
tion within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War 
Powers Resolution. 
(2) 
APPLICABILITY
OF
OTHER
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Nothing in this joint resolution supersedes 
any requirement of the War Powers Resolution. 
SEC. 3. REPEAL OF PRIOR AUTHORIZATIONS FOR USE OF 
UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. 
(a) REPEAL.—The following provisions of law are 
hereby repealed: 
(1) The Authorization for Use of Military Force 
Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107– 
243; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note). 
(2) The Authorization for Use of Military Force 
(Public Law 107–40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The repeal made by sub-
section (a)(2) shall be effective as of the date that is three 
years after the date of the enactment of this joint resolu-
tion. 
SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall, at least once 
every 60 days after the date of the enactment of this joint 
resolution, submit to the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 Feb 03, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HJ27.IH
HJ27
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HJ 27 IH 
a report on matters relevant to this joint resolution, in-
cluding actions taken pursuant to the exercise of authority 
granted in section 2 and the status of planning for efforts 
that are expected to be required over the next 60 days. 
(b) CONSOLIDATION.—To the extent that the submis-
sion of any report required in subsection (a) coincides with 
the submissions of any other report on matters relevant 
to this joint resolution otherwise required to be submitted 
to Congress pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 
War Powers Resolution, all such reports may be submitted 
as a single consolidated report to the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 
of the Senate. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 Feb 03, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HJ27.IH
HJ27
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS