President Obama formally requested that Congress authorize the use of military force in the war against ISIS on Wednesday. The authorization would include air power and limited ground operations for American forces to rescue Americans or track down terrorist group leaders, but it would also avoid a large-scale invasion. No U.S. president has requested such authorization in 13 years.

Capitol Hill received the proposal Wednesday morning. Shortly after it was received, the White House announced that President Obama would speak to the public about his request Wednesday afternoon.

The joint resolution would limit the military campaign against the terrorist group to three years. The text states that “enduring offensive ground combat operations” are not authorized.

In a letter to Congress sent alongside the resolution, the president, who has claimed that soldiers would not step foot on grounds in Syria and Iraq, explained that the drafted resolution would authorize ground combat “in limited circumstances” such as “rescue operations” or the use of special forces operations that would “take military action” against the leaders of ISIL. The legislation would also make target spotting and intelligence gathering possible.

President Obama said that if “left unchecked,” ISIL could pose a threat beyond the Middle East and to the U.S. Though he has “existing statutes” that give him the authorization needed to move forward, Obama said that he wanted to join with Congress to gather bipartisan support.

The legislation was sent to Congress shortly after the death of American Kayla Mueller who was held by the Islamic State. She was mentioned specifically in the letter to Congress, along with other hostages who were killed–Peter Kassig, James Foley and Steven J. Sotloff–as justification for needing to take military action.

If the resolution is approved, this would be the first time since George W. Bush’s request to invade Iraq in 2002 that lawmakers would authorize a president’s use of military force. The proposed resolution would repeal the authorization in 2002. However, legislation passed allowing force against Al Qaeda in 2001 would remain.

House Republican leaders were quick to criticize the authorization saying that the President should not have as many limitations. House Speaker John Boehner said that a “comprehensive military strategy” and a “robust authorization” were needed to win the fight against ISIS.

On the other hand, Democrat Adam B. Schiff of California said that he was concerned the draft was not limited enough. He argued that unless the 2001 authorization of military force against Al Qaeda was repealed, the three-year limit on this authorization would mean nothing.