What This Bill Does
This bill requires that military force authorizations and declarations of war stop working after a set time period. New authorizations would last 10 years, while authorizations that already exist would stop after 6 months from when this bill becomes law.
Who It Affects
Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives), which passes military authorizations and declarations of war.
Key Provisions
• Any new military force authorization or war declaration passed after this bill becomes law will automatically stop working 10 years after it is passed (Sec. 2(a))
• Any military force authorization or war declaration that was already in effect before this bill becomes law will automatically stop working 6 months after this bill is passed (Sec. 2(b))
What Changes
If this becomes law, military authorizations will have expiration dates instead of lasting indefinitely. Existing authorizations would end 6 months after the law passes. Future authorizations would expire after exactly 10 years unless Congress passes a new one.
Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1151
To terminate authorizations for the use of military force and declarations
of war no later than 10 years after the enactment of such authorizations
or declarations.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 30, 2023
Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. OSSOFF, and Mr. WELCH) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on For-
eign Relations
A BILL
To terminate authorizations for the use of military force
and declarations of war no later than 10 years after
the enactment of such authorizations or declarations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accountability for
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Endless Wars Act of 2023’’.
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•S 1151 IS
SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE USE
1
OF MILITARY FORCE AND DECLARATIONS OF
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WAR.
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(a) FUTURE AUTHORIZATIONS
FOR
THE USE
OF
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MILITARY FORCE AND DECLARATIONS OF WAR.—Any au-
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thorization for the use of military force or declaration of
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war enacted into law after the date of the enactment of
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this Act shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after
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the date of the enactment of such authorization or declara-
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tion.
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(b) EXISTING AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE USE OF
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MILITARY FORCE AND DECLARATIONS OF WAR.—Any au-
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thorization for the use of military force or declaration of
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war enacted before the date of the enactment of this Act
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shall terminate on the date that is 6 months after the date
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of such enactment.
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Æ
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