IA
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 284
To amend the War Powers Resolution.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 27, 1993
Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Ms. FURSE, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr.
HINCHEY, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. WOOLSEY, and Mr. HAMBURG) introduced
the following joint resolution; which was referred jointly to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs and Rules
JOINT RESOLUTION
To amend the War Powers Resolution.
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 ‘‘War Pow-
ers Amendments of 1993’’.
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SEC. 2. REVISION OF WAR POWERS RESOLUTION.
The War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548)
is amended by striking out all after the resolving clause
and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘This joint resolution may be cited as the ‘War Pow-
ers Resolution’.
‘‘SEC. 2. PURPOSE; CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE AU-
THORITY.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this joint resolu-
tion to fulfill the intent of the framers of the Constitution
of the United States and ensure that the collective judg-
ment of both the Congress and the President will apply
to—
‘‘(1) the introduction of the Armed Forces into
hostilities or into situations where imminent involve-
ment in hostilities is clearly indicated by the cir-
cumstances, and
‘‘(2) the continued use of the Armed Forces in
hostilities or in such situations.
‘‘(b) CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.—
Among the powers granted to the Congress by the Con-
stitution are—
‘‘(1) the power to declare war;
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‘‘(2) the power of the purse (‘No Money shall
be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of
Appropriations made by Law’); and
‘‘(3) the power to make all laws necessary and
proper for carrying into execution not only its own
powers but also all other powers vested by the Con-
stitution in the Government of the United States, or
in any department or officer thereof.
‘‘SEC. 3. EMERGENCY USES OF THE ARMED FORCES IN HOS-
TILITIES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Armed Forces may be intro-
duced into hostilities, or situations where imminent in-
volvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the cir-
cumstances, only as follows:
‘‘(1) DECLARATION OF WAR.—Pursuant to a
declaration of war by the Congress.
‘‘(2) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION.—
In accordance with a specific statutory authoriza-
tion.
‘‘(3) ARMED ATTACK ON UNITED STATES.—To
the extent necessary—
‘‘(A) to repel an armed attack upon the
United States;
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‘‘(B) to take necessary and appropriate re-
taliatory actions in the event of such an attack;
or
‘‘(C) to forestall the direct and imminent
threat of such an attack.
‘‘(4) 
ARMED
ATTACK
ON
THE
ARMED
FORCES.—To the extent necessary—
‘‘(A) to repel an armed attack against
Armed Forces located outside the United
States; or
‘‘(B) to forestall the direct and imminent
threat of such an attack.
‘‘(5) EVACUATION
OF
UNITED
STATES
CITI-
ZENS.—To the extent necessary to protect United
States citizens or nationals while evacuating them as
rapidly as possible from a situation, outside the
United States, that directly and imminently threat-
ens their lives or liberty and—
‘‘(A) the threatened deprivation of life or
liberty is contrary to international law or is oth-
erwise illegal; and
‘‘(B) in a case where the source of the
threat is within a foreign country, the threat is
supported by the government of that country or
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the government of that country is unable or un-
willing to control the situation.
The President shall make every effort to terminate
any such threat without using the Armed Forces.
Before using the Armed Forces to protect United
States citizens or nationals being evacuated from a
foreign country in accordance with this paragraph,
the President shall, where possible, obtain the con-
sent of the government of that country.
‘‘(b) CONDITIONS ON EMERGENCY USE OF ARMED
FORCES.—Any use of the Armed Forces in accordance
with paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a)—
‘‘(1) is subject to the requirements of sections
4, 5, and 6; and
‘‘(2) shall be limited, in terms of the Armed
Forces which are used and the manner in which they
are used, to such use as is essential in order to
achieve the purpose described in that paragraph.
‘‘(c) FUNDING LIMITATION.—Funds appropriated or
otherwise made available under any law may not be obli-
gated or expended for any introduction, other than an in-
troduction described in subsection (a), of the Armed
Forces into hostilities or situations where imminent in-
volvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the cir-
cumstances.
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‘‘SEC. 4. CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND
CONGRESS.
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSULTATION.—(1) The
President, in every possible instance, shall consult with the
Congress before the Armed Forces are introduced into
hostilities, or situations where imminent involvement in
hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, in ac-
cordance with paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of section 3(a).
After every such introduction, the President shall consult
regularly with the Congress until the Armed Forces are
no longer in hostilities or situations where imminent in-
volvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the cir-
cumstances.
‘‘(2) The President, in every possible instance, shall
consult with the Congress—
‘‘(A) before Armed Forces are introduced into
the territory, airspace, or waters of a foreign country
while equipped for combat, except for deployments
which relate solely to supply, replacement, repair, or
training of such forces; or
‘‘(B) before Armed Forces are introduced into
the territory, airspace, or waters of a foreign country
in which there are already Armed Forces equipped
for combat if such introduction would substantially
enlarge the number of Armed Forces equipped for
combat located in that country or otherwise substan-