Senate panel advances bill to repeal Iraq and Gulf war authorizations

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced a bipartisan bill that would repeal a pair of authorizations for the use of military force that would bring an official end to the Gulf and Iraq wars.

A group of six lawmakers reintroduced a bill last month that would revoke the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs that paved the way for the U.S. military to initiate the use of force in the Middle East wars. The bill’s progress marks a significant shift as some Republicans join their Democratic colleagues in calling for the reining in of U.S. forces abroad.

BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS REVIVE EFFORTS TO END GULF AND IRAQ WARS

“Later this month, we will mark the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Today, Iraq is a partner of the United States and critical to efforts to counter Iran,” Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), one of the authors of the bill, said in a statement. “Repealing these outdated AUMFs will demonstrate America’s commitment to Iraqi sovereignty. Just an important, it is vital to restoring the proper role of Congress in authorizing the use of military force and affirmatively stating when conflicts are over.”

The bill passed the Foreign Relations Committee with a 13-8 vote on Wednesday, setting the stage for the legislation to be introduced before the full Senate in the coming weeks. If passed, the measure would declare an end to the two conflicts while also reducing the president’s unilateral authority to deploy troops as lawmakers seek to reassert congressional authority over declarations of war.

The two AUMFs authorized military force for the Gulf and Iraq wars, but Congress has since failed to repeal the authorizations despite the two conflicts ending years ago. However, members of Congress have sought to revive efforts to end the military declarations in an attempt to prevent “potential misuse” by future presidents.

House lawmakers passed a bill repealing the pair of AUMFs in the last Congress, but those efforts failed to make it to a vote in the deadlocked Senate. However, supporters of the legislation say they’re confident they have enough votes to overcome a filibuster and hold a vote in the coming weeks.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), one of the co-sponsors of the legislation, told the Washington Examiner at least 65 senators are expected to back the bill, all but guaranteeing its passage.

“The bigger the margin we get [in the Senate], the better the chances are [in the House],” Kaine said. “The bipartisan co-sponsors in the House are pretty ideologically broad, so that’s going to be helpful with the speaker.”

The bill would then head to the House, where it’s unclear whether House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will agree to bring it up for a vote. The Republican leader didn’t support the legislation in the last Congress, but some lawmakers have indicated confidence it could garner enough support among Republicans to pass the lower chamber.

“I think it’s an important thing for Congress to say that it doesn’t grant unlimited authority to the president in foreign affairs,” said Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), one of the co-sponsors of the bill. “So, I actually think it would have a chance [in the House].”

Repealing the authorizations would not disrupt current operations in the Middle East, nor would it prevent the U.S. from initiating a military response to future threats. The White House has previously vowed to work with Congress to repeal the two AUMFs, noting they would be replaced with a “narrow and specific framework” that would allow the U.S. to deploy military action while “ending the forever wars.”

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It’s not yet clear when the legislation will be brought forward for full consideration, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he hopes to give it a floor vote before Easter.

“It’s past time for the U.S. to put this war behind us, and I look forward to passing it on the Senate floor as soon as possible,” Schumer said in a tweet shortly after the committee’s vote.