Early Wednesday morning, Congress received a request from President Barack Obama for formal authorization of the use of military force in the war against the terrorist group ISIS. This is the first time this has happened in thirteen years.

For those who may not be well versed on ISIS, here are a few facts you need to know:

• ISIS is an extremist group that can trace its history back to al Qaeda in Iraq.
• The leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has challenged al Qaeda for the allegiance of Muslim extremists and is no longer associated with al Qaeda directly.
• ISIS has come to be so successful in the Middle East due to both military skill and unparalleled brutality. They have used intimidation to gain control over certain parts of Iraq and Syria.
• ISIS began targeting the United States when US air strikes began to interfere in the conflict in Syria.
• ISIS sent footage of them murdering an American reporter, James Foley, to the US and threatened that another reporter, Steven Sotloff, had his life in President Obama’s hands.
• When air strikes didn’t cease, Sotloff was killed on camera.
• A large, and ever-growing, number of Americans, Europeans, Asians, and even Muslims, have been captured by ISIS and ransomed or killed.

According to the War Power’s Resolution of 1973, the President can take military forces into areas of war or hostility for 60 days, and if he has not gotten Congress’ approval to continue–– he must cease the use of the military forces.

President Obama has asked Congress to unite with him on this since September 2014, because he believes the nation is stronger when it is united, and asked again in his press conference in January 2015.

This all means that President Obama is determined to take down ISIS as quickly as possible, as ISIS is a threat to both the Middle East and the national security of the United States. He does not currently intend to use military ground forces – only in special circumstances – and mainly plans for an air-based operation. He has the authority to move this forward for the next 60 days, but is urging Congress for approval in order to have bipartisan unity on this potential war.