system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: In government, what steps must happen for there to be an official declaration of war? What is the standard procedure?
gpt
There is no standard procedure. In the United States, Congress has the power to declare war, and it exercises that power as it sees fit. Nowadays, Congress usually passes resolutions authorizing the president to deploy the military or use force, rather than use the words "declaration of war," since such formal declarations are no longer common in international diplomacy, but in doing so it exercises the same constitutional power.

Usually, Congress passes a declaration of war or similar resolution at the request of the president. What debate, investigation or evidence should precede the declaration before the resolution is voted on is up to Congress and depends on the particular event.