10 October 2002
House Authorizes Bush To Use Military Force Against Iraq if Needed
(Final Senate approval of Iraq resolution expected to follow) (1230) By Ralph Dannheisser Washington File Congressional Correspondent Washington -- The House of Representatives has voted to give President Bush the authority he has sought to mount military action against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, and the Senate appears poised to follow suit swiftly. By a 296-133 vote, the House acted October 10 to authorize the president to launch a unilateral, preemptive attack on Iraq -- if efforts to work through the United Nations fail -- to strip Hussein of his existing weapons of mass destruction and block development of a potential nuclear threat. Meanwhile, the Senate voted to cut short debate on its companion resolution, virtually guaranteeing final passage in that chamber, possibly later in the day and almost certainly no later than October 11. Speaking at a news conference soon after the House acted, Bush said the body "has spoken clearly to the world and to the United Nations Security Council: The gathering threat of Iraq must be confronted fully and finally." He repeated his insistence that Iraq "must disarm and comply with all existing U.N. resolutions or (it) will be forced to comply. There are no other options for the Iraqi regime. There can be no negotiations." The president's fellow Republicans in the House were all but unanimous in their support, voting 215-6 in favor of the resolution authorizing military force to defend against what it terms "the continuing threat posed by Iraq." They were joined by 81 Democrats -- including the party's leader in the House, Richard Gephardt of Missouri -- while 126 Democrats and one independent opposed the measure. As finally passed, the resolution gives Bush almost all the power he asked for. But while it still allows him to act independently of the United Nations, it meets concerns raised by some legislators by encouraging him to exhaust diplomatic options first, and requiring him to report to Congress every 60 days on any unilateral military action he does take. The ultimate outcome became clear when a modified proposal backed by most Democrats was defeated, by a 270-155 vote, earlier in the day. That version would have required Bush to come back to Congress for a second vote on the use of U.S. military force when and if he decided that efforts to work through the U.N. had failed. Representative John Spratt (Democrat, South Carolina), who sponsored that proposal, warned that, in the absence of multilateral action, "this will be the United States versus Iraq and, in some quarters, the United States versus the Arab and Muslim world." Representative Jay Inslee (Democrat, Washington) expanded on that view, declaring, "It is not a victory to strike down one tyrant and breed 10,000 terrorists." But House Majority (Republican) Leader Richard Armey, who himself had initially questioned the need for the broad authorization, told his colleagues that "a strike on Saddam is an integral part, a necessary part of the war on terrorism." "If you're going to conduct a war on terrorism then you must stop that person who is most likely and most able to arm the terrorists with those things that will frighten us the most," Armey said. "Mr. President, we are about to give you a great trust," he said shortly before the vote. While Gephardt ended up supporting the resolution, his second in command in the House Democratic leadership maintained her strong opposition, contending a war with Iraq could actually increase terrorist activity. Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who also serves as the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, declared, "Unilateral use of force without first exhausting every diplomatic remedy and other remedies, and making a case to the American people, will be harmful to our war on terrorism. "We cannot let this coalition unravel," she said, referring to the international coalition Bush assembled in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last year. On the other side of the Capitol building, the Senate voted 75-25 to clear the way for a final vote by limiting further debate on the issue to no more than 30 hours. Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the senior Democrat in the body, had been leading efforts to put off the vote. But the outcome became clear when Senate Majority (Democratic) Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota took the floor to announce that changes that had been effected in the resolution made it acceptable to him. "I believe it is important for America to speak with one voice," Daschle declared. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer swiftly expressed the president's appreciation for Daschle's decision to support the resolution. The high water mark for senators opposing the resolution came when they mustered 31 votes in a losing effort to pass a Byrd amendment to cut off, after two years, the president's authority to use force against Iraq. Bush has repeatedly said that he has not yet decided whether to launch a military strike against Iraq. But he has sought congressional backing for possible action to strengthen his hand as he seeks U.N. Security Council approval of a tough, new resolution ordering Iraq to permit unconditional weapons inspections and disarm, or face the use of force if it does not. Following is the text of the operative sections of the resolution approved by the House: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This joint resolution may be cited as the 'Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002'. SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS. The Congress of the United States supports the efforts by the President to -- (1) strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq and encourages him in those efforts; and (2) obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. (a) AUTHORIZATION- The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to -- (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. (b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION- In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon thereafter as may be feasible, but no later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that -- (1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or (B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq; and (2) acting pursuant to this joint resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorist and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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