A joint resolution providing statutory authorization under the War Powers Resolution for continued United States participation in the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon in order to obtain withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon.
Public Law 98-119 · S.J.Res. 159 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 12, 1983 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Charles Mathias (R-MD)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Thomas Eagleton, Sen. Robert Stafford,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 253 yea, 156 nay253–156
- SenateRecorded vote: 54 yea, 46 nay54–46
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #274 (54-46))
Multinational Force in Lebanon Resolution - Authorizes the President, for purposes of the War Powers Resolution, to continue the participation by U.S. armed forces in the Multinational Force in Lebanon, subject to specified conditions. States that such conditions will not preclude such protective measures as are necessary to ensure the safety of such Multinational Force in Lebanon.
Requires the President to report to Congress, at least every three months, with respect to the situation in Lebanon. Requires specified information to be included in such reports.
Declares the participation of the armed forces of other countries in the Multinational Force in Lebanon to be essential.
States Congress' belief that U.S. policy should promote Israeli, Syrian, and Lebanese discussions aimed at the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon and the establishment of conditions that will permit the Lebanese armed forces to carry out their responsibilities in the Beirut area.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should discuss with members of the U.N. Security Council the establishment of a U.N. peacekeeping force to replace the Multinational Force in Lebanon. Requires an analysis of the implications of the response to such discussions to be included in the President's report to Congress.
Provides that the continued participation of the U.S. armed forces in the Multinational Force in Lebanon shall be for 18 months, unless the Congress extends it for a longer period. Requires such participation to terminate sooner upon the: (1) withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, unless the President makes a specified certification to the Congress; or (2) assumption by the United Nations or Lebanon of the responsibilities of the Multinational Force in Lebanon; or (3) implementation of other effective security arrangements in the area; or (4) withdrawal of all other countries from the Multinational Force in Lebanon.
Provides that nothing in this resolution shall: (1) preclude the President from withdrawing U.S. armed forces participation in such Multinational Force in Lebanon if circumstances warrant it or Congress from directing such a withdrawal; or (2) modify, limit, or supersede any provision of the War Powers Resolution or a specified part of the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Act of 1983 (relating to congressional authorization for the expansion in the number or role of U.S. armed forces in Lebanon).
Provides congressional procedures for amending this Act.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 54 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
54 yea46 nay
Democrats who voted yea(2)
- Sen. George MitchellD-ME
- Sen. Edward ZorinskyD-NE
Republicans who voted yea(52)
- Sen. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. William CohenR-ME
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Henry HeinzR-PA
- Sen. John ChafeeR-RI
- Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
- Sen. Rudy BoschwitzR-MN
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. David DurenbergerR-MN
- Sen. Paula HawkinsR-FL
- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS- Sen. John DanforthR-MO
Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Daniel EvansR-WA
Sen. John WarnerR-VA- Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
- Sen. Roger JepsenR-IA
- Sen. Robert KastenR-WI
- Sen. Paul TribleR-VA
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. James AbdnorR-SD
- Sen. Mack MattinglyR-GA
- Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
- Sen. Warren RudmanR-NH
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Pete WilsonR-CA
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
- Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
- Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
- Sen. Jacob HechtR-NV
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
- Sen. William ArmstrongR-CO
Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT- Sen. Gordon HumphreyR-NH
- Sen. Dan QuayleR-IN
- Sen. Jeremiah DentonR-AL
- Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Malcolm WallopR-WY
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
- Sen. John EastR-NC
- Sen. Steven SymmsR-ID
- Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 264 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 12, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-119.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 4, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 29, 1983FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title and an amended preamble by Yea-Nay Vote. 54-46. Record Vote No: 274.Senate roll call 274
- FloorFloor · Passed House by Yea-Nay Vote: 253 - 156 (Record Vote No: 370).House roll call 370
- Sep 26, 1983FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Sep 23, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Sep 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.