Title: Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Syrian Arab Republic that have not been authorized by Congress.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution directs the President to remove the Armed Forces from hostilities in Syria, except for those engaged in operations against al Qaeda or associated forces, unless a declaration of war or specific authorization has been enacted.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 77 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 77

  Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers 
Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the 
    Syrian Arab Republic that have not been authorized by Congress.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2019

 Ms. Gabbard submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers 
Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the 
    Syrian Arab Republic that have not been authorized by Congress.

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES IN 
              THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY 
              CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Congress has the sole power to declare war under 
        article I, section 8 of the Constitution.
            (2) Congress has not declared war with respect to, or 
        provided any specific statutory authorization for, United 
        States military participation in any activity related to 
        securing, guarding, possessing, profiting off of, or developing 
        the oil fields of the Syrian Arab Republic.
            (3) President Donald Trump stated on October 27, 2019, 
        regarding Syria that ``we are leaving soldiers to secure the 
        oil. Now, we may have to fight for the oil. That's OK. Maybe 
        somebody else wants the oil, in which case they have a hell of 
        a fight.'' and that ``it can help us, because we should be able 
        to take some also. And what I intend to do, perhaps, is make a 
        deal with an ExxonMobil or one of our great companies to go in 
        there and do it properly. Right now it's not big. It's big oil 
        underground but it's not big oil up top.''.
            (4) When asked by CNN on October 28, 2019, whether the 
        United States will prevent any Russian or Syrian Government 
        forces from gaining access to the oil, Secretary of Defense 
        Esper said, ``The short answer is yes, it presently does.''.
            (5) Section 8(c) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 
        1547(c)) defines the introduction of United States Armed Forces 
        to include ``the assignment of members of such armed forces to 
        command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or 
        accompany the regular or irregular military forces of any 
        foreign country or government when such military forces are 
        engaged, or there exists an imminent threat that such forces 
        will become engaged, in hostilities.''.
            (6) Section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 
        1544(c)) states that ``at any time that United States Armed 
        Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the 
        United States, its possessions and territories without a 
        declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such 
        forces shall be removed by the President if the Congress so 
        directs''.
    (b) Removal of Armed Forces.--Pursuant to section 5(c) of the War 
Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(c)), Congress hereby directs the 
President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the 
Syrian Arab Republic, except for United States Armed Forces engaged in 
operations directed at al Qaeda or associated forces, not later than 60 
days after the date of the adoption of this concurrent resolution, 
unless a declaration of war or specific authorization for such use of 
United States Armed Forces has been enacted into law.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this concurrent resolution 
may be construed--
            (1) to limit, expand, or otherwise modify the scope of the 
        Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40; 50 
        U.S.C. 1541 note); or
            (2) consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers 
        Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1547(a)(1)), to authorize the use of 
        military force.
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