Congressional Resolution of March 17, 1916
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 17,
64th Congress, 1st session.
Whereas it is understood that the President has ordered or is about to order the armed forces of the United States to cross the international boundary line between this country and Mexico for the pursuit and punishment of the band of outlaws who committed outrages on American soil at Columbus, New Mexico; and,
Whereas the President has obtained the consent of the de facto Government of Mexico for this punitive expedition; and
Whereas the President has given assurance to the de facto Government that the use of this armed force shall be for the sole purpose of apprehending and punishing said lawless band, and that the military operations now in contemplation will be scrupulously confined to the object already announced, and that in no circumstance will they be suffered to trench in any degree upon the sovereignty of Mexico or develop into intervention of any kind: Therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the use of the armed forces of the United States for the sole purpose of apprehending and punishing the lawless bands of armed men who entered the United States from Mexico on the ninth day of March, 1916, committed outrages on American soil, and fled into Mexico, is hereby approved; and that the Congress also extends this assurance to the de facto Government of Mexico and to the Mexican people that the pursuit of said lawless band of armed men across the international boundary line into Mexico is for the single purpose of arresting and punishing the fugitive band of outlaws; that the Congress, in approving the use of the armed forces of the United States for the purposes announced, joins with the President in declaring [Page 492] that such military expedition shall not be permitted to encroach in any degree upon the sovereignty of Mexico or to interfere in any manner with the domestic affairs of the Mexican people.