Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Authorization for Use of Military Force and the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 do not provide legal justification for war with Iran.

Bill: 116-hres-819
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Curtis, John R. [R-UT-3]
Introduced: 2020-01-30
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Conflicts and wars

Congressional oversight

Iran

Iraq

Middle East

Military operations and strategy

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Terrorism

War and emergency powers
Latest action: action_date: 2020-01-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-01-30
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that specified authorizations for the use of military force do not provide legal justification for war with Iran.</p>

tv_txt: IV 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 819 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 30, 2020 Mr. Curtis submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Authorization for Use of Military Force and the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 do not provide legal justification for war with Iran.

Whereas, on May 12, 2019, four commercial ships were damaged in the Gulf of Oman, two of which were registered in Saudi Arabia, one in Norway, and one in the United Arab Emirates; Whereas, on June 13, 2019, two oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran; Whereas, on June 20, 2019, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down a United States RQ–4A Global Hawk BAMS–D surveillance drone; Whereas, on September 14, 2019, Iran attacked two major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, leading to the largest price increase in oil in 30 years; Whereas throughout these escalations, President Trump acted with immense restraint; Whereas in the last two months of 2019, Iranian-backed militias attacked United States troops in Iraq, eventually resulting in the death of one United States contractor and injuring four soldiers; Whereas between December 31, 2019, and January 1, 2019, Iranian-backed groups stormed the United States Embassy in Iraq, leaving embassy officials fearing for their safety and forcing the United States to dispatch hundreds of troops to deescalate the situation; Whereas the Government of Iran is a leading state sponsor of terrorism and engages in a range of destabilizing activities across the Middle East and throughout the world; Whereas Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was the lead architect of much of Iran’s destabilizing activities; Whereas, on January 2, 2019, President Trump authorized a precision strike that killed Qassem Soleimani; Whereas Soleimani was plotting imminent attacks on United States diplomats and military personnel; and Whereas the United States has an inherent right to self-defense against imminent armed attacks and maintains the right to ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel serving abroad: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Authorization for Use of Military Force ( Public Law 107–40 ; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) and the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 ( Public Law 107–243 ; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) do not provide legal justification for war with Iran.