26 September 2001Text: Bush Letter to Congress on Troop Deployments Abroad
(Sends letter pursuant to War Powers Resolution) (580) President Bush September 24, in accordance with the War Powers Resolution, formally notified Congress of unspecified U.S. military troop deployments outside the United States in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. In the notification, Bush stated that he was acting in conformity with the Senate Joint Resolution authorizing the use of force, which he signed on September 18. The president noted in the letter that he "may find it necessary to order additional forces" abroad, and that it is "not now possible to predict the scope and duration of these deployments." Unlike his message when signing the joint resolution, this letter does not mention the longstanding executive branch position that the War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973 during U.S. involvement in Vietnam, is unconstitutional. The War Powers Resolution gives the president limited authority to use military force in specified situations, but requires Congressional authority to expand action into a full-scale war. Congress has not approved a declaration of war since the outbreak of World War II in December 1941. Following is the text of the president's letter to Congress: (begin text) THE WHITE HOUSE TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE September 24, 2001 Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:) On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four U.S. commercial airliners. These terrorists coldly murdered thousands of innocent people on those airliners and on the ground, and deliberately destroyed the towers of the World Trade Center and surrounding buildings and a portion of the Pentagon. In response to these attacks on our territory, our citizens, and our way of life, I ordered the deployment of various combat-equipped and combat support forces to a number of foreign nations in the Central and Pacific Command areas of operations. In the future, as we act to prevent and deter terrorism, I may find it necessary to order additional forces into these and other areas of the world, including into foreign nations where U.S. Armed Forces are already located. I have taken these actions pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive. It is not now possible to predict the scope and duration of these deployments, and the actions necessary to counter the terrorist threat to the United States. It is likely that the American campaign against terrorism will be a lengthy one. I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution and Senate Joint Resolution 23, which I signed on September 18, 2001. As you know, officials of my Administration and I have been regularly communicating with the leadership and other Members of Congress about the actions we are taking to respond to the threat of terrorism and we will continue to do so. I appreciate the continuing support of the Congress, including its passage of Senate Joint Resolution 23, in this action to protect the security of the United States of America and its citizens, civilian and military, here and abroad. Sincerely, GEORGE W. BUSH (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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