A bipartisan bill was introduced on Wednesday that aims to repeal decades-old authorizations for the use of military force in the Middle East, and shift back the authority to declare was to Congress.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and Republican Senator Todd Young, along with four others, led the measure in the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision to launch airstrikes in Syria.
“Last week’s airstrikes in Syria show that the Executive Branch, regardless of party, will continue to stretch its war powers,” said Kaine in a press release.
“Congress has a responsibility to not only vote to authorize new military action, but to repeal old authorizations that are no longer necessary.”
The bill aims to repeal 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which cleared the way for a prolonged military conflict in Iraq.
Meanwhile, the expansive 2001 authorization for war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban will be left intact, allowing airstrikes across the globe and fighting against rival jihadist network ISIS.
“Congress has been operating on autopilot when it comes to our essential duties to authorize the use of military force,” said Young.
“The fact that authorities for both of these wars are still law today is illustrative of the bipartisan failure of Congress to perform its constitutionally-mandated oversight role.”
The Kaine-Young bill was co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Tammy Duckworth, Chris Coons and Dick Durbin, as well as Republican Senators Mike Lee, Chuck Grassley and Rand Paul.
“For decades, administrations of both parties have kept these authorizations on the books to justify military action in the region without returning to Congress to make their best legal case for the need for such action,” Duckworth, who is also an Iraq War double amputee, said.
Members of Congress from both parties have repeatedly attempted to repeal AUMFs in recent years, but none has succeeded.