Senate votes to repeal military authorizations on Iraq

On Thursday, The Senate voted to advance a bill that could repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq.

Senator Tim Kaine and 41 co-sponsors introduced the bill in February. The roll call result was 68-27, largely bipartisan, with 12 Republican co-sponsors.

Kaine spoke to NBC about the bill: “When you leave authorizations on the books after a war is over, a president can grab an authorization and use it not as intended.”

He also tweeted, “It’s time for Congress to reclaim the power to declare, oversee, and end wars, just as our Founders intended and as our men and women in uniform deserve.”

The White House declared its support for the resolution, noting that the U.S. conducts no ongoing military activities reliant on the 1991 and 2002 Iraq War Authorizations.

“Repeal of these authorizations would have no impact on current U.S. military operations and would support this Administration’s commitment to a strong and comprehensive relationship with our Iraqi partners,” said The White House.

“Furthermore, President Biden remains committed to working with the Congress to ensure that outdated authorizations for the use of military force are replaced with a narrow and specific framework more appropriate to protecting Americans from modern terrorist threats.”