HR 3709 · 112th Congress 2011โ€“2013, ended

War Powers Reform Act

Latest action · Dec 16, 2011 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedDec 16, 2011
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

War Powers Reform Act - Amends the War Powers Resolution to direct the President in every possible instance to submit to Congress before introducing U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities or situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated a written report setting forth the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

Directs the President, in the absence of a declaration of war or a specific statutory authorization (currently, only in the absence of a declaration of war), to submit a written report to Congress within 48 hours when the Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities or foreign nations under specified circumstances and requires that such report include the circumstances necessitating the introduction, the constitutional and legislative authority under which such introduction took place, and the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

Repeals an existing framework under which the President is required to terminate, within 60 days, subject to a possible 30-day extension, any use of Armed Forces with respect to which the President has submitted (or is required to submit) a report concerning the introduction of Armed Forces into hostilities in the absence of a declaration of war, unless: (1) Congress declares war or enacts specific authorization, (2) extends the 60-day period, or (3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States. Strikes provisions concerning congressional action to remove Armed Forces engaged in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization.

Replaces such framework with a process that prohibits funds available for the Armed Forces from being obligated or expended for introducing the Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated, in the absence of: (1) a declaration of war; (2) specific statutory authorization; or (3) a national emergency created by an attack or imminent threat of attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Armed Forces.

Cosponsors 29

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Dec 16, 2011 to Jul 9, 2012; 24 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-GAAustin ScottOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-OHBill JohnsonOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-NJChristopher H. SmithOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-MIDan BenishekOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-INDan BurtonOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-FLDennis A. RossOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-KYGeoff DavisOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-OKJames LankfordOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-FLJeff MillerOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-TNJohn J. Duncan, Jr.OriginalDec 16, 2011
R-ILJohn ShimkusOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-SCMick MulvaneyOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-INMike PenceOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-ALMo BrooksOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-AZPaul A. GosarOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-IDRaul R. LabradorOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-WIReid J. RibbleOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-FLRichard B. NugentOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-MDRoscoe G. BartlettOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-OHSteve StiversOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-OHSteven C. LaTouretteOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-FLThomas J. RooneyOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-NYTom ReedOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-NCVirginia FoxxOriginalDec 16, 2011
R-NEJeff FortenberryFeb 8, 2012
I-MIJustin AmashFeb 17, 2012
D-CAJohn GaramendiMay 17, 2012
D-WAAdam SmithJun 29, 2012
R-OHJim JordanJul 9, 2012

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseForeign Affairs Committee
Referred Dec 16, 2011
HouseRules Committee
Referred Dec 16, 2011

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Dec 16, 2011Introduced in House
  2. Dec 16, 2011Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, section 8, clauses 11, 12, 13, 14, and 18.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the page H9927.

Related bills 1

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
HR 1609War Powers Reform Act of 2011Related billApr 15, 2011

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To amend the War Powers Resolution to limit the use of funds for introduction of the Armed Forces into hostilities, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
War Powers Reform Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Dec 16, 2011Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.