S. 409: Military Humanitarian Operations Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-16 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Military Humanitarian Operations Act of 2017

Plain summary

Military Humanitarian Operations Act of 2017 This bill defines a "military humanitarian operation" as one involving the deployment of members or weapons systems of the U.S. Armed Forces where hostile activities are reasonably anticipated with the aim of preventing or responding to a humanitarian catastrophe or addressing a threat posed to international peace and security, including: operations undertaken pursuant to the principle of the "responsibility to protect" in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1674 (2006); operations specifically authorized by the Security Council or other international organizations; and unilateral deployments and deployments made in coordination with international organizations, treaty-based organizations, or coalitions formed to address specific humanitarian catastrophes. Such term excludes a military operation undertaken for other purposes, including to respond to, repel, or prevent attacks on the United States. The President may not deploy members of the Armed Forces into the territory, airspace, or waters of a foreign country for a military humanitarian operation not previously authorized by statute unless: (1) the President submits to Congress a formal request for authorization to use such members for the operation, and (2) Congress enacts a specific authorization for such use of forces.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Military Humanitarian Operations Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (5)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s409.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s409 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115