{ "id": "R43760", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R43760", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 586820, "date": "2017-02-21", "retrieved": "2020-01-02T14:49:01.445164", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Issues and Current Proposals", "summary": "Since the United States embarked on a strategy to counter the Islamic State (also known as ISIL or ISIS) in 2014, some Members of Congress have raised concerns about the President\u2019s underlying authority to engage in anti-IS military operations. In the 114th Congress, both houses of Congress took steps to revisit the possibility of considering legislation to provide authority for the use of military force (AUMF) against the Islamic State. Interest has continued into the first session of the 115th Congress and with the start of the Trump Administration.\nIn 2014, the armed offensive of the Islamic State in northern and western Iraq and northeastern Syria raised significant concerns for the United States. After first ordering multiple deployments of U.S. troops to Iraq to provide security to diplomatic personnel and facilities, advise Iraqi security forces, and conduct intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, President Obama began ordering U.S. military airstrikes on IS forces in Iraq in August 2014. Later in September, after laying out plans for expanded use of military force against the Islamic State in a televised speech to the American people, the President ordered U.S. military airstrikes in Syria against both IS forces and forces of the \u201cKhorasan Group,\u201d identified by the President as part of Al Qaeda. In 2015, the President ordered new deployments to Iraq, and the Administration announced deployment of a small number of special operations forces to Syria to conduct military operations that involve advising regional partner armed forces but also can include \u201cunilateral\u201d U.S. operations. In 2016, both U.S. military operations and deployments of U.S. Armed Forces increased to continue the campaign against the Islamic State.\nAs military action against the Islamic State has evolved and increased, many observers, including a number of Members of Congress, have raised numerous questions and concerns about the President\u2019s authority to use military force against the Islamic State. Some efforts began near the end of the 113th Congress to consider enactment of a new authorization for use of military force targeting the Islamic State, and have continued into the 114th Congress; the issue, however, remains contentious. The President provided Congress a new authorization proposal in February 2015, and in his 2016 State of the Union address again called on Congress to enact a new authorization for use of military force (AUMF) targeting the Islamic State. The Obama Administration\u2019s official position on presidential authority to use force against the Islamic State, however, has remained consistent, relying on the previous 2001 AUMF against those who perpetrated the September 11, 2001, terror attacks (and, to a lesser extent, the 2002 AUMF against the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq). \nThis report focuses on the several proposals for a new AUMF specifically targeting the Islamic State made during the 113th and 114th Congresses as well as those made thus far in the 115th Congress. It includes a brief review of existing authorities and AUMFs, as well as a discussion of issues related to various provisions included in existing and proposed AUMFs that both authorize and limit presidential use of military force. Appendices provide a comparative analysis of similar provisions in the numerous AUMFs proposed in the 113th and 114th Congresses. This report will be updated to reflect congressional activity. For more information on the Islamic State, see CRS Report R43612, The Islamic State and U.S. Policy, by Christopher M. Blanchard and Carla E. Humud.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43760", "sha1": "a39d93883079a3bc07ddc7ac6ac2b9111e75e580", "filename": "files/20170221_R43760_a39d93883079a3bc07ddc7ac6ac2b9111e75e580.html", "images": {} }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43760", "sha1": "acc013c55c17164dde233bd8efaf840a51a43673", "filename": "files/20170221_R43760_acc013c55c17164dde233bd8efaf840a51a43673.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4758, "name": "Middle East & North Africa" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 449161, "date": "2016-01-27", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T17:24:05.784425", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Issues and Current Proposals", "summary": "In 2014, the armed offensive of the Islamic State (also known as ISIL, ISIS, or Daesh) in northern and western Iraq and northeastern Syria raised significant concerns for the United States. After first ordering multiple deployments of U.S. troops to Iraq to provide security to diplomatic personnel and facilities, advise Iraqi security forces, and conduct intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, President Obama began ordering U.S. military airstrikes on IS forces in Iraq in August 2014. Later in September, after laying out plans for expanded use of military force against the Islamic State in a televised speech to the American people, the President ordered U.S. military airstrikes in Syria against both IS forces and forces of the \u201cKhorasan Group,\u201d identified by the President as part of Al Qaeda. In 2015, the President ordered new deployments to Iraq, and the Administration announced deployment of a small number of special operations forces to Syria to conduct military operations that involve advising regional partner armed forces but also can include \u201cunilateral\u201d U.S. operations.\nAs military action against the Islamic State has evolved and increased, many observers, including a number of Members of Congress, have raised numerous questions and concerns about the President\u2019s authority to use military force against the Islamic State. Some efforts began near the end of the 113th Congress to consider enactment of a new authorization for use of military force targeting the Islamic State, and have continued into the 114th Congress; the issue, however, remains contentious. The President provided Congress a new authorization proposal in February 2015, and in his 2016 State of the Union address again called on Congress to enact a new authorization for use of military force (AUMF) targeting the Islamic State. The Obama Administration\u2019s official position on presidential authority to use force against the Islamic State, however, has remained constant, relying on the previous 2001 and 2002 AUMFs against those who perpetrated the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, and the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq, respectively. \nAs the second session of the 114th Congress has begun, both houses of Congress have taken some steps to revisit the possibility of considering a new AUMF. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has reportedly organized \u201clistening sessions\u201d with House Republican membership discussing what a new AUMF might comprise; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on January 20, 2016, introduced a new AUMF that bypassed committee consideration and proceeded directly to placement on the Senate legislative calendar.\nThis report focuses on the several proposals for a new AUMF specifically targeting the Islamic State made during the 113th and 114th Congresses. It includes a brief review of existing authorities and AUMFs, as well as a discussion of issues related to various provisions included in existing and proposed AUMFs that both authorize and limit presidential use of military force. Appendices provide a comparative analysis of similar provisions in new AUMFs proposed in the 113th and 114th Congresses. This report will be updated to reflect congressional activity.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43760", "sha1": "d99b69cb76f5dc6d3e89ca0cb6d0b5f1d4b746c3", "filename": "files/20160127_R43760_d99b69cb76f5dc6d3e89ca0cb6d0b5f1d4b746c3.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43760", "sha1": "d917342a0d8c3203ab85450ca35afccc8f5fd552", "filename": "files/20160127_R43760_d917342a0d8c3203ab85450ca35afccc8f5fd552.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 282, "name": "Middle East and North Africa" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc824569/", "id": "R43760_2016Jan15", "date": "2016-01-15", "retrieved": "2016-04-04T14:48:17", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Issues and Current Proposals", "summary": "This report focuses on several proposals for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) specifically targeting the Islamic State made during the 113th and 114th Congresses. It includes a brief review of existing authorities and AUMFs, as well as a discussion of issues related to various provisions included in existing and proposed AUMFs that both authorize and limit presidential use of military force. Appendices provide a comparative analysis of similar provisions in new AUMFs proposed in the 113th and 114th Congresses. This report will be updated to reflect congressional activity.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20160115_R43760_665415f26f9728ac8e09c4d399013bd1d8bbb69c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20160115_R43760_665415f26f9728ac8e09c4d399013bd1d8bbb69c.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Counterterrorism -- U.S.", "name": "Counterterrorism -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National policy -- U.S.", "name": "National policy -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Military strategy", "name": "Military strategy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc503658/", "id": "R43760_2015Feb20", "date": "2015-02-20", "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Issues and Current Proposals in Brief", "summary": "This report discusses the authorization for use of military force against the Islamic State (IS), the crisis caused by IS and the U.S. response.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150220_R43760_1866bb5d386662e5032309a1b1bfe521941c2e68.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150220_R43760_1866bb5d386662e5032309a1b1bfe521941c2e68.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Counterterrorism -- U.S.", "name": "Counterterrorism -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National policy -- U.S.", "name": "National policy -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Military strategy", "name": "Military strategy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc501948/", "id": "R43760_2014Dec19", "date": "2014-12-19", "retrieved": "2015-03-30T22:03:27", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Comparison of Proposals in Brief", "summary": "This report discusses executive authority to authorize force in the crisis involving the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL or ISIS), which raised significant concerns for the United States.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20141219_R43760_5041f6d787dc3a2371b91cefe7c1ed4bedb43309.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20141219_R43760_5041f6d787dc3a2371b91cefe7c1ed4bedb43309.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Iraq", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Iraq" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Counterterrorism -- U.S.", "name": "Counterterrorism -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National policy -- U.S.", "name": "National policy -- U.S." } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc491027/", "id": "R43760_2014Nov06", "date": "2014-11-06", "retrieved": "2015-01-27T19:40:46", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Comparison of Current Proposals in Brief", "summary": "This report discusses the armed offensive militants of the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL or ISIS) in northern and western Iraq and northeastern Syria that has raised significant concerns for the United States.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20141106_R43760_ca3d369c8bd8410d41e9b95aef058978e8652d9c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20141106_R43760_ca3d369c8bd8410d41e9b95aef058978e8652d9c.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Counterterrorism -- National policy -- U.S.", "name": "Counterterrorism -- National policy -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Iraq", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Iraq" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Syria" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc491183/", "id": "R43760_2014Oct21", "date": "2014-10-21", "retrieved": "2015-01-27T19:40:46", "title": "A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Comparison of Current Proposals in Brief", "summary": "This report discusses the President's constitutional authority to use military force against the armed offensive of the Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL or ISIS) in northern and western Iraq and northeastern Syria. It also covers current proposals for action under congressional authorizations for use of military force (AUMFs).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20141021_R43760_c06229ae50ba0a94b70eddeb7bc875830a746f1c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20141021_R43760_c06229ae50ba0a94b70eddeb7bc875830a746f1c.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Executive power", "name": "Executive power" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security" ] }