Joint Resolution Declaring A State of War Exists Between Germany and the US - 2 April 1917
Joint Resolution Declaring That a State of War Exists Between the Imperial German Government and the Government and People of the United States and Making Provision To Prosecute the Same, April 6, 1917. National Archives and Records Administration ID 5916620. GGA Image ID # 1804f21085
This Resolution Declared War on Germany.
When President Wilson signed this joint resolution of the houses of Congress, the nation was officially declared to be at war with Germany. Congress convened on April 2nd, but the swearing-in of new members occupied some time, and the attempts of pacifists to thwart the declaration of war delayed the passage of the measure until April 6th.
The resolution is simple and direct in its terms. "Whereas the Imperial German Government has committed repeated acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States," a state of war is formally declared, and the President is authorized and directed to use the entire naval and military forces and all the resources of the Government to bring the conflict to a successful termination.
The declaration of war was the first official act of the 65th Congress, as the entry at the top of the page shows. The signatures are those of Champ Clark. Speaker of the House; Thomas R. Marshall. Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate; and the President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson.
Public Laws of the Sixty-Fifth Congress of the United States, Chapters 1 and 2 (6 April 1917 and 11 April 1917), Joint Resolution Declaring That a State of War Exists between the Imperial German Government and the Government and the People of the United States and Making Provision to Prosecute the Same. National Archives and Records Administration 112460°--VOL 40--PT 1-- 1. GGA Image ID # 180500cea1
PUBLIC LAWS OF THE SIXTY-FIFTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
Passed at the first session, which was begun and held at the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, on Monday, the second day of April, 1917, and was adjourned without delay on Saturday, the sixth day of October, 1917.
Woodrow Wilson, President; Thomas R. Marshall, Vice President; Willard Salisbury, President of the Senate pro tempore ; Champ Clark, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
CHAP. 1.—Joint Resolution Declaring that a state of war exists between the Imperial German Government and the Government and the people of the United States and making provision to prosecute the same. [6 April 1917 S. J. Res. 1. || Pub. Res., No. 1.]
Whereas the Imperial German Government has committed repeated acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it [Preamble]
Resolved by the Senate and Rouse of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the state of war between the United States and the Imperial German Government which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and that the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Imperial German Government; and to bring the conflict to a successful termination all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States. [War with Germany. Declaration of. Post, p. 1650. || President authorized to use Army, Navy, etc., to prosecute.]
Approved, April 6, 1917.
CHAP. 2.-—An Act Making appropriations for certain expenses incident to the first session of the Sixty-fifth Congress, and for other purposes. [11 April 1917 || Public, No. 1.]
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, namely: [Appropriations for first session Sixty-fifth Congress.]
LEGISLATIVE.
The appropriations for mileage of Senators, Members of the House of Représentatives, and Delegates from the Territories, and expenses of Resident Commissioners, made in the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation Act for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighteen, are made immediately available and authorized to be paid. [Mileage for Congress immediately available. Vol. 39, pp. 1070, 1073.]
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