I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1904 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Defense 
to notify the congressional defense committees of certain sensitive mili-
tary operations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 9, 2013 
Mr. THORNBERRY (for himself, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. KLINE, Mrs. HARTZLER, 
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. TURNER, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MILLER of 
Florida, Mr. RIGELL, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. WENSTRUP, Mr. 
WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. HECK of Nevada, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. 
BRIDENSTINE, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. SMITH of Washington, 
Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. COFFMAN, Mr. 
FORBES, Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. AUSTIN 
SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. ROBY, Mrs. NOEM, and Mr. GIBSON) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Sec-
retary of Defense to notify the congressional defense 
committees of certain sensitive military operations, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Oversight of Sensitive 
Military Operations Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION OF SENSITIVE 
MILITARY OPERATIONS. 
(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 130f. Congressional notification of sensitive mili-
tary operations 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
promptly submit to the congressional defense committees 
notice in writing of any sensitive military operation fol-
lowing such operation. 
‘‘(b) PROCEDURES.—(1) The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish and submit to the congressional defense 
committees procedures for complying with the require-
ments of subsection (a) consistent with the national secu-
rity of the United States and the protection of operational 
integrity. 
‘‘(2) The congressional defense committees shall en-
sure that committee procedures designed to protect from 
unauthorized disclosure classified information relating to 
national security of the United States are sufficient to pro-
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tect the information that is submitted to the committees 
pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(c) SENSITIVE MILITARY OPERATION DEFINED.— 
The term ‘sensitive military operation’ means a lethal op-
eration or capture operation conducted by the armed 
forces outside the United States pursuant to— 
‘‘(1) the Authorization for Use of Military 
Force (Public Law 107–40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note); 
or 
‘‘(2) any other authority except— 
‘‘(A) a declaration of war; or 
‘‘(B) a specific authorization for the use of 
force other than the authorization referred to in 
paragraph (1). 
‘‘(d) EXCEPTION.—The notification requirement 
under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a sen-
sitive military operation executed within the territory of 
Afghanistan pursuant to the Authorization for Use of 
Military Force (Public Law 107–40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 
note). 
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to provide any new authority or 
to alter or otherwise affect the War Powers Resolution (50 
U.S.C. 1541 et seq.) or the Authorization for Use of Mili-
tary Force (Public Law 107–40; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note).’’. 
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(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 130e 
the following new item: 
‘‘130f. Congressional notification regarding sensitive military operations.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 130f of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 
apply with respect to any sensitive military operation (as 
defined in subsection (c) of such section) executed on or 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTAL OF PROCEDURES.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees the procedures required under section 
130f(b) of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a), by not later than 60 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. REPORT ON PROCESS FOR DETERMINING TARGETS 
OF LETHAL OPERATIONS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report containing an explanation of the legal and 
policy considerations and approval processes used in deter-
mining whether an individual or group of individuals could 
be the target of a lethal operation or capture operation 
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conducted by the Armed Forces of the United States out-
side the United States. 
(b) CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘congressional defense 
committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
SEC. 4. COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATIONAL BRIEFINGS. 
(a) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.—Chapter 23 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 492. Quarterly briefings: counterterrorism oper-
ations 
‘‘(a) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall provide to the congressional defense commit-
tees quarterly briefings outlining Department of Defense 
counterterrorism operations and related activities involv-
ing special operations forces. 
‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—Each briefing under subsection 
(a) shall include each of the following: 
‘‘(1) A global update on activity within each ge-
ographic combatant command. 
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‘‘(2) An overview of authorities and legal issues 
including limitations. 
‘‘(3) An outline of interagency activities and 
initiatives. 
‘‘(4) Any other matters the Secretary considers 
appropriate.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘492. Quarterly briefings: counterterrorism operations.’’. 
Æ 
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