IA 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 52 
To repeal and replace the Authorization for Use of Military Force. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2023 
Mr. MEEKS (for himself, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. DEAN 
of Pennsylvania, Mr. ALLRED, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. CROW, and Mr. CAR-
SON) submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on 
Armed Services, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), 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 con-
cerned 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To repeal and replace the Authorization for Use of Military 
Force. 
Whereas the Constitution vests Congress with the sole au-
thority to declare war and authorize the use of military 
force; 
Whereas Congress has not updated the Authorization for Use 
of Military Force (Public Law 107–40; 115 Stat. 224; 50 
U.S.C. 1541 note) since it was enacted into law seven 
days after the attacks of September 11, 2001; 
Whereas the Authorization for Use of Military Force has 
been expanded to authorize the use of military force 
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against entities that did not exist at the time of those at-
tacks; 
Whereas the United States remains ready to defend itself, 
when necessary, against armed attack, or the imminent 
threat of such an attack, by foreign terrorist groups; and 
Whereas Congress recognizes that the members of the United 
States Armed Forces and all other Americans deserve to 
know whether the deployment of the Armed Forces for 
the use of military force under a congressional authoriza-
tion remains necessary and aligned with current threats: 
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 Resolution of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. REPEAL OF EXISTING AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF 
MILITARY FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Authorization for Use of 
Military Force (Public Law 107–40; 115 Stat. 224; 50 
U.S.C. 1541 note) is hereby repealed. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this joint resolution. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent necessary to 
defend against a direct and substantial armed attack 
against the United States or a threat of such armed 
attack by any of the entities described in paragraph 
(2), the President is authorized to use necessary and 
appropriate force against such entities. 
(2) ENTITIES
DESCRIBED.—The entities de-
scribed in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) The al Qaeda organization that is 
based in Afghanistan. 
(B) The Islamic State Khorasan organiza-
tion that is based in Afghanistan. 
(C) The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 
that is based in Iraq and Syria. 
(b) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) SPECIFIC
STATUTORY
AUTHORIZATION.— 
Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers 
Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1547(a)(1)), Congress de-
clares that subsection (a) is intended to constitute 
specific statutory authorization within the meaning 
of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution (50 
U.S.C. 1544(b)). 
(2) 
APPLICABILITY
OF
OTHER
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Nothing in this joint resolution supersedes 
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any requirement of the War Powers Resolution (50 
U.S.C. 1541 et seq.). 
(c) APPLICABILITY IN CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES.— 
The authority provided in subsection (a)— 
(1) may not be construed to cease to apply with 
respect to an entity described in such subsection if 
the entity adopts a different name than the name 
specified in such subsection if— 
(A) the President notifies the appropriate 
congressional committees and leadership not 
later than 60 days after determining that the 
name has changed; and 
(B) the President determines that the enti-
ty has the same leadership, membership, and 
mission and continues to pose a direct and sub-
stantial threat of armed attack against the 
United States as the entity had at the time of 
the name change; 
(2) shall not apply to an entity that emerges as 
a result of a division of an entity described in such 
subsection, unless the President certifies to the ap-
propriate congressional committees and leadership 
not later than 60 days after determining that a divi-
sion occurred that— 
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(A) the entity that emerged has the same 
basic characteristics as the entity from which it 
formed as a result of division, including with re-
spect to its leadership, membership, and mis-
sion; 
(B) the entity that emerged retains the in-
tent and capability of posing a direct and sub-
stantial threat of armed attack the United 
States; and 
(C) the use of force against the entity that 
emerged remains necessary to respond to such 
threat of armed attack; and 
(3) shall not apply to an entity that is not de-
scribed in such subsection, whether or not the entity 
is involved in an armed conflict against a force of a 
United States ally or partner or is an affiliate, asso-
ciated force, or successor entity of an entity de-
scribed in such subsection. 
(d) SOLE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the authority provided in sub-
section (a) shall be the sole statutory authority to use 
force or direct the use of force against the entities to which 
such subsection applies. No additional authority to use 
force or direct the use of force against the entities to which 
subsection (a) applies shall be inferred from any provision 
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of law (whether or not in effect before the date of the en-
actment of this joint resolution), including any provision 
contained in any appropriation Act, unless such provision 
specifically provides for authority to use force or direct 
the use of force against the entities to which subsection 
(a) applies and states that it is intended to constitute ad-
ditional authority within the meaning of this joint resolu-
tion. 
(e) TREATY COMMITMENTS, LAW OF ARMED CON-
FLICT, AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF STATES.—The 
authority provided in subsection (a) shall not be used in 
a manner inconsistent with the treaty obligations of the 
United States, the law of armed conflict, or in countries 
from which there is no armed attack emanating. 
(f) REPORT PURSUANT TO WAR POWERS RESOLU-
TION.—Any use of force against an entity that is not de-
scribed in subsection (a) or otherwise authorized by stat-
ute shall be reported to the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
as an introduction into hostilities pursuant to section 
4(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, and shall be subject 
to the requirements of the War Powers Resolution as such. 
(g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this joint resolution. 
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SEC. 4. REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this joint resolution, and annually 
thereafter for four years, the Secretary of Defense, the 
Secretary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, 
the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the 
heads of any other relevant Federal departments and 
agencies shall jointly submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees and leadership a report on the exercise 
of the authority provided in section 3(a). The initial report 
required by this subsection shall address the time period 
since the date of the enactment of this joint resolution 
and each subsequent report required by this subsection 
shall address the time period since the date of submission 
of the most recent prior report required by this subsection. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re-
quired by subsection (a) shall including the following: 
(1) For each entity against which the United 
States conducted activities pursuant to this joint 
resolution: 
(A) A description of any force used against 
such entity, the timeframes and geographic 
areas within countries in which such force was 
used, whether or not each such area is des-
ignated an area of active hostilities, and the 
legal and factual basis for determining that the 
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authority provided in this joint resolution ap-
plied with respect to the force used against such 
entity, including the United States constitu-
tional and statutory basis and whether such use 
is consistent with the obligations of the United 
States under its treaty obligations and the law 
of armed conflict. 
(B) The domains, including land, sea, air, 
cyber, space, or any other domains, in which 
operations were conducted against such entity, 
the nature of these operations, and whether 
such operations were conducted remotely. 
(C) Lists and descriptions of any oper-
ations against high value targets, any sensitive 
military operations (as such term is defined in 
section 130f of title 10, United States Code), 
and any sensitive military cyber operations (as 
such term is defined in section 395 of title 10, 
United States Code) conducted with respect to 
such entity. 
(D) Whether any force used against such 
entity was a function of deliberate or dynamic 
targeting and the number of combatant casual-
ties, disaggregated by country, in connection 
with force used. 
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(E) Assessments of the extent to which 
such entity posed a direct and substantial 
threat of an armed attack against the United 
States at the time force was used, the extent to 
which such entity continues to pose such a 
threat, and whether the force used against such 
entity helped to protect against such threat, in-
cluding the metrics used for such assessments. 
(F) Whether and to what extent such enti-
ty used force against United States forces. 
(2) An identification and description of the in-
volvement of any multilateral forces, multilateral or-
ganizations, ally or partner countries, or ally or 
partner forces in activities conducted pursuant to 
this joint resolution, including a description of any 
United States activities related to training, equip-
ping, advising, assisting, or accompanying any ally 
or partner force with respect to activities against en-
tity covered in section 3(a), including identification 
of each such ally or partner force, each entity cov-
ered under section 3(a) against with such ally or 
partner force engaged in armed conflict, and any 
other entity against which such ally or partner force 
engaged in armed conflict. 
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(3) A description of the civilian casualties re-
sulting from activities conducted pursuant to this 
joint resolution, including for each such entity the 
number of civilian casualties, disaggregated by coun-
try, in connection with force used by the United 
States against such entity, as determined by— 
(A) the United States Government; and 
(B) credible and reliable nongovernmental 
entities. 
(4) An explanation for the differences, if any, 
between the number of civilian casualties reported 
pursuant to paragraph (3)(A) and the number of ci-
vilian casualties reported pursuant to paragraph 
(3)(B), the standard of proof the United States gov-
ernment used to make its assessment and its criteria 
for distinguishing between combatants and civilians. 
(5) Descriptions of the mechanisms used to pre-
vent, limit, investigate, and mitigate civilian harm in 
connection with any force used against such entity, 
including descriptions of any ex gratia payments by 
the United States to those harmed as a result of 
United States, allied, partnered, or coalition oper-
ations. 
(6) An assessment of whether any ally or part-
ner force with which the United States conducts 
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joint operations under this authorization may have 
violated the law of armed conflict, including in its 
involvement in detention operations, during the time 
period since submittal of the most recent report pur-
suant to this section and a description of the steps 
the United States is taking to address any such vio-
lations. 
(7) A description of the diplomatic, develop-
ment, and humanitarian objectives, strategy, and ac-
tivities by which the United States intends to reduce 
extremism, violence, and fragility relative to each 
such entity in order to create the conditions for the 
end of use of United States military force against 
such entity, including the following: 
(A) How the United States has and plans 
to— 
(i) create or improve inclusive, trans-
parent, and accountable power structures, 
including effective, legitimate, and resilient 
national and sub-national institutions; 
(ii) promote strong foundations for 
human rights, rule of law, and equal access 
to justice; 
(iii) build resilience among relevant 
segments of the local population to resist 
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terrorist radicalization and recruitment 
and violent extremist ideology by address-
ing their appeal; and 
(iv) support peacebuilding and conflict 
resolution efforts, including through en-
gagement with local civil society. 
(B) The roles of each relevant Federal de-
partment or agency in the activities described in 
subparagraph (A). 
(C) How the use of force by the United 
States and any ally or partner force against en-
tities covered in section 3(a) in such country af-
fects achievement of the objectives outlined this 
paragraph. 
(D) The outcome metrics used to assess 
progress towards the objectives described in this 
paragraph and an assessment of progress on 
each such metric. 
(E) A strategy to sustain political, secu-
rity, and development gains relative to each 
such entity once the United States no longer 
uses force against such entity. 
(8) A comprehensive and current description, 
both for the reporting period and in aggregate as of 
the date of submittal, of— 
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(A) amounts expended by the United 
States for and in support of military operations 
and other activities pursuant to this joint reso-
lution; and 
(B) United States military personnel, 
United States civilian personnel, and United 
States contractors involved in activities against 
such entity, including the numbers located in 
each foreign country, their missions, and as-
sessments of progress towards completing those 
missions during the reporting period, as well as 
the outcome metrics used to assess such 
progress. 
(9) A description of any other force that was 
used or any other significant activities that were 
conducted in connection with the authority provided 
in this joint resolution, as well as any other matters 
the President may consider appropriate. 
(c) FORM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The report required by sub-
section (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form. 
(2) CLASSIFIED FORM.—The report required by 
subsection (a) may contain a classified annex if the 
President determines it is necessary to protect the 
national security of the United States. Any such 
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annex shall be separated from the unclassified report 
and accompanied by unclassified written findings to 
support such a determination. 
(d) BRIEFINGS.—The Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, the 
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the heads 
of any other relevant Federal departments and agencies 
shall provide a briefing to any of the appropriate congres-
sional committees or leadership upon request of such com-
mittee or leadership, but not less often than every 180 
days, on the activities undertaken pursuant to this joint 
resolution. 
SEC. 5. SUNSET; REAUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) SUNSET.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the authority provided in section 3(a) 
shall terminate on the date that is four years after 
the date of the enactment of this joint resolution, 
unless reauthorized by an Act of Congress enacted 
after the date of the enactment of this joint resolu-
tion. 
(2) LIMITED WIND-DOWN PERIOD.—For such 
time as may be necessary, but not to exceed 180 
days after the date described in paragraph (1), the 
authority provided in section 3(a) may be exercised 
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only as necessary to end the deployment or engage-
ment of United States Armed Forces. 
(b) REAUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) STRATEGY.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this joint resolution, 
and annually thereafter for four years, the Presi-
dent, in order to inform any potential reauthoriza-
tion of the authority provided in section 3(a), shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
and leadership a strategy for— 
(A) defeating or sufficiently degrading 
each entity described in section 3(a)(2); and 
(B) creating the conditions under which 
the exercise of such authority is no longer nec-
essary to defend against a direct and substan-
tial armed attack against the United States or 
a threat of such armed attack by such entity. 
(2) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
before the date described in subsection (a)(1), 
the President shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees and leadership a re-
port on any potential reauthorization of the au-
thority provided in section 3(a). 
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(B) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The re-
port required by subparagraph (A) shall in-
clude— 
(i) a certification of whether each en-
tity described in section 3(a)(2) continues 
to pose a direct and substantial threat of 
armed attack against the United States; 
(ii) evidence to support the certifi-
cation required by clause (i), including rel-
evant intelligence regarding the current in-
tentions and capabilities of each such enti-
ty; and 
(iii) any recommendations the Presi-
dent determines to be necessary for the ex-
tension or modification of such authority, 
including any recommendations and jus-
tifications for adding or removing entities 
from the list of entities described in section 
3(a)(2). 
(3) BRIEFING.—The President shall brief the 
appropriate congressional committees and leadership 
on any recommendations for the reauthorization of 
the authority provided in section 3(a) that are in-
cluded in the report required by paragraph (2). 
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SEC. 6. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES AND 
LEADERSHIP DEFINED. 
In this joint resolution, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees and leadership’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Appro-
priations, the Speaker, the majority leader, and the 
minority leader of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services, the Select Committee 
on Intelligence, the Committee on Appropriations, 
the majority leader, and the minority leader of the 
Senate. 
Æ 
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