Senate Foreign Relations Committee Votes to Repeal Iraq War Authorizations

On March 8, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted in favor of repealing the Authorizations for Use of Military Forces (AUMF), as we approach the 20th anniversary of September 19, 2003.

Both the 2002 and 1991 AUMFs were advanced in the committee by a vote of 13–8. Within the next few days, the Senate full could vote on this legislation.

Following reports of Saddam Hussein having weapons of destruction, the U.S. allowed its military to invade Iraq under 2002 AUMF. He was captured by the United States in 2003. Iraq executed him in 2006. U.S. forces could enter the Gulf War through 1991 AUMF, where Hussein was driven out of Kuwait.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D.N.Y.), the committee chairman, celebrated the results.

“AUMFs are the most solemn responsibility of this Committee, and our duty is not just to pass them, but to exercise vigilance as to how they are used and assess when it is time to declare them obsolete,” He said: a statement.

“Today’s vote asserts the congressional prerogative to determine how administrations—current and future ones—justify the use of military force,” He went on. “These two AUMFs are outdated, do not address current threats to U.S. interests, and should not be used to justify large-scale use of military force. Their repeal is in the U.S. national interest, and in the interest of our strategic partnership with Iraq and the region.”

Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.), celebrated the promotion of the bill.

“This Senate Foreign Relations Committee has reached an agreement to move forward on the repeal of the Iraq AUMF. We need to put the Iraq war behind us once and for all. And doing that means we should repeal the legal authority that initiated the war to begin with,” Schumer posted On Twitter. He voted for The 2002 AUMF against The 1991 AUMF.

While the committee votes to abolish the AUMFs, the House of Representatives will vote on March 8 on a resolution to pull all U.S. forces out of Syria. U.S. troops remain in Syria to defeat the Islamic State.

Additionally, the committee finally voted to advance Eric Garcetti’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to India—449 days after the former Los Angeles mayor appeared before the committee and more than 600 days since he was nominated. Garcetti’s nomination is currently in doubt due to sexual misconduct allegations against a former mayor. The tally was 13–8. Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) Bill Hagerty (R.Tenn.), and Todd Young (R.I.) voted for the eleven Democrats in the committee.

“Senator Hagerty believes that for more than two years, the Biden Administration and Senate Democrats have failed to get a Senate-confirmed Ambassador to India—the world’s largest democracy, a rising economic power, and one of our most important strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific. As a former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Senator Hagerty knows firsthand that this is a critical U.S. diplomatic position and believes the Senate should vote on it,” In an email, a Hagerty spokesperson confirmed the information to The Epoch Times.

Despite backing from Hagerty and Young, it remains to be seen whether Garcetti can garner enough support in the full Senate, which the Democrats control 51–49.

The Epoch Times also reached out to Young’s office to ask why he voted to advance Garcetti’s nomination.