H.Res.770 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President Barack Obama should request authorization before sending the United States Armed Forces into Syria.

H. RES. 770

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President Barack Obama should request authorization before sending the United States Armed Forces into Syria.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 2, 2012

Mr. Pearce submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

**RESOLUTION**

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President Barack Obama should request authorization before sending the United States Armed Forces into Syria.

Whereas the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Syria under both Hafez al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad has tormented and killed thousands of its citizens;

Whereas the Government of Syria has long threatened its neighbors with military action;

Whereas the Syrian occupation of Lebanon allowed Iranian weapons to pass to terrorist outfits that targeted Israel;

Whereas in 2011, the Syrian people began rising up against the brutal Government of Syria;

Whereas, on March 7, 2012, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta stated that the Obama Administration would get its legal basis for intervening in Syria from either the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or a resolution from the United Nations Security Council before consulting with Congress;

Whereas Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution explicitly grants Congress the authority to declare war;

Whereas, on May 11, 2012, Secretary Panetta claimed in a briefing at the Pentagon that the Obama Administration had intelligence proving al Qaeda’s presence in Syria;

Whereas, on May 25, 2012, the Syrian army attacked the towns of Houla, Homs, and Idlib, killing at least 34 children; and

Whereas President Barack Obama has yet to define a clear, achievable goal in placing the United States Armed Forces in Syria: Now, therefore, be it

_Resolved,_ That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that—

(1) only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war according to Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution;

(2) President Barack Obama should set clear, definable objectives for the United States Armed Forces to achieve before sending them into battle;

(3) President Barack Obama should indicate a direct national security interest in placing the United States Armed Forces in harm’s way;

(4) the Government of Syria has surrendered all claims of legitimacy by continually massacring its own people; and

(5) the Government of Syria should peacefully transfer power to a democratically elected government.