PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 24, 2026
This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Cuba unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted.
The resolution specifies that it shall not be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from an armed attack, the threat of an imminent armed attack, or the lawful execution of counternarcotics operations.
People & committees
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] · D–NY
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Sep 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-03-24 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposed joint resolution would direct the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities within or against Cuba unless Congress explicitly authorizes them through a declaration of war or a specific authorization to use military force. It preserves U.S. self-defense against an armed attack or an imminent threat of one, and lawful operations against illegal drugs. The proposal concerns presidential decisions and military operations.
Congress hereby directs the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Cuba, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force.
Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from an armed attack, the threat of an imminent armed attack, or the lawful execution of counternarcotics operations.
The proposed findings describe Congress as having the sole constitutional power to declare war and the President as responsible for defending the United States and specified people and territories from attack.
(1) Congress has the sole power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the United States Constitution. (2) The President has a constitutional responsibility to take actions to defend the United States, its territories, its possessions, citizens, service members, and diplomats from attack.
The proposal states, as a congressional finding, that Congress has neither declared war on Cuba or any person or organization there nor enacted a specific authorization to use military force within or against Cuba.
(3) Congress has not declared war upon Cuba or upon any person or organization within Cuba, nor enacted a specific statutory authorization for the use of military force within or against Cuba.
The proposed findings treat military force within or against Cuba—including a blockade or quarantine conducted by the Coast Guard or other armed forces—as entering hostilities under the cited War Powers Resolution provision. This states the proposal's legal position; it does not establish that such operations occurred.
(4) The use of force by the United States Armed Forces within or against Cuba, including the use of the United States Coast Guard and other components of the Armed Forces to conduct a blockade or quarantine of Cuba, constitutes the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities within the meaning of section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1543(a)).
The findings cite existing law providing expedited congressional procedures—rules for faster consideration—for legislation requiring removal of armed forces from imminent engagement in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization.
(5) Section 1013 of the Department of State Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 (50 U.S.C. 1546a) provides that any joint resolution or bill requiring the removal of United States Armed Forces from imminent engagement in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization shall be considered in accordance with the expedited procedures under section 601(b) of the International Security and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 (Public Law 94–329).
Section 2 would place the removal duty on the President. Its exception requires explicit authorization through a declaration of war or a specific authorization to use military force.
Congress hereby directs the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Cuba, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force.
Section 2 expressly preserves defense against an armed attack or the threat of an imminent armed attack, as well as lawful counternarcotics operations—operations against illegal drugs.
(b) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from an armed attack, the threat of an imminent armed attack, or the lawful execution of counternarcotics operations.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated September 19, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 24, 2026.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-19T23:29:47Z. 2026-03-24: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. 2026-03-24: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-03-24. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential benefit warranting a finding was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI