[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 819 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 819
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
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
Resolved, 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.
<all>