Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov
Matthew Weed, Analyst in Foreign Policy Legislation, 7-4589
The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force: Background in Brief
This memorandum responds to your request for information on presidential utilization of the
Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF; P.L. 107-40; 50 U.S.C. § 1541 note), enacted in
response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, to justify and undertake military
and other action. It contains very brief discussions of the relevant provisions of the AUMF, and the use of
U.S. armed forces and other actions initiated under AUMF authority. Material in this memorandum may
be used in other Congressional Research Service (CRS) products.
2001 AUMF Use of Force Provision
Section 2(a) of the AUMF authorizes the use of force in response to the September 11 attacks:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled,
. . . .
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force
against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or
aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or
persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such
nations, organizations or persons.
Analysis
Scope: The authorizing language is broad in its scope concerning the prevention of any future acts of
terrorism that might be perpetrated against the United States, but is circumscribed by authorizing the
targeting only of those nations, organizations, or persons determined to be involved in perpetrating the
September 11 attacks or harboring those who perpetrated the attacks.
War Against Non-State Actors: The AUMF is considered groundbreaking as it (1) empowered the
President to target non-state actors, even to the individual level, as well as states, and (2) did not specify
which states and non-state actors were included under the authorization.
