Title 50, War and National DefenseRelease 119-110

§1543 Reporting Requirement

Title 50 › CHAPTER 33 — WAR POWERS RESOLUTION › § 1543

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must send a written report to the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate within 48 hours when U.S. Armed Forces are sent abroad without a declaration of war in any of these cases: they enter combat or clearly are about to; they go into a foreign country’s land, airspace, or waters while armed for combat (not just for supply, replacement, repair, or training); or their numbers greatly increase the combat forces already there. The report must say why the forces were sent, what legal authority (the Constitution or laws) allows it, and give an estimate of how big and how long the fighting or involvement is expected to be. The President must also give Congress any other information it asks for about using forces overseas. While forces remain involved, the President must keep reporting on their status and on scope and duration, and must report at least once every six months.

Full Legal Text

Title 50, §1543

War and National Defense, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Written report; time of submission; circumstances necessitating submission; information reported

In the absence of a declaration of war, in any case in which United States Armed Forces are introduced—

(1)into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances;

(2)into the territory, airspace or waters of a foreign nation, while equipped for combat, except for deployments which relate solely to supply, replacement, repair, or training of such forces; or

(3)in numbers which substantially enlarge United States Armed Forces equipped for combat already located in a foreign nation;

the President shall submit within 48 hours to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the President pro tempore of the Senate a report, in writing, setting forth—

(A)the circumstances necessitating the introduction of United States Armed Forces;

(B)the constitutional and legislative authority under which such introduction took place; and

(C)the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

(b)Other information reported

The President shall provide such other information as the Congress may request in the fulfillment of its constitutional responsibilities with respect to committing the Nation to war and to the use of United States Armed Forces abroad.

(c)Periodic reports; semiannual requirement

Whenever United States Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities or into any situation described in subsection (a) of this section, the President shall, so long as such armed forces continue to be engaged in such hostilities or situation, report to the Congress periodically on the status of such hostilities or situation as well as on the scope and duration of such hostilities or situation, but in no event shall he report to the Congress less often than once every six months.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

50 U.S.C. § 1543

Title 50, War and National Defense

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110