Just days after the 20th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, the Senate approved a resolution to repeal the legal justifications used to attack the country in 1991 and 2003. In a vote of 66 to 30 on Wednesday, the Senate agreed to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force that Congress adopted.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released this statement following the approval of the repeal:
“I was proud to vote to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force. These authorizations were used to justify military actions far beyond their original intents. Their repeal was long overdue.
The repeal of these AUMFs shines a bright light on a troubling fact—for more than two decades, Congress has yielded its constitutional authority to declare war to the presidency. It has enabled our involvement in ambiguous wars that undermine our national security.
Not only should the 2001 AUMF for Afghanistan be repealed as well, but Congress should take up my legislation to reform the president’s war powers. Congress must set clear and defined goals for the use of military force abroad; place a limit to how long, where, and against whom we can continue military action without a new authorization; and finally put a stop to endless wars and prevent them in the future.”