North Indy News

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) have welcomed the Senate's approval of their bipartisan bill to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) against Iraq. The measure was passed as an amendment to the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The House’s version of the NDAA also contains the same provision, and the legislation will now proceed to a conference committee.

Senator Young stated, “The Gulf War started 34 years ago, and the Iraq War began 22 years ago. These conflicts have long ended, and today Iraq is a partner, not an adversary. It’s time for our law to reflect that reality. Tonight’s Senate vote is a step in the right direction, and I will continue pushing to repeal these outdated AUMFs and close the book on these forever wars.”

Senator Kaine commented, “The 1991 and 2002 AUMFs are obsolete. Iraq is now a strategic partner, and leaving these AUMFs on the books runs the risk of potential misuse by presidents of both parties. Today’s vote is significant because Congress is finally reaffirming its solemn constitutional responsibility in decisions as important as whether or not we should send servicemembers into harm’s way. I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who voted to repeal these AUMFs against Iraq. I look forward to working with Senate and House leadership to ensure that this important provision remains in the final legislation that goes to President Trump’s desk for his signature, so the United States can finally end this endless war.”

Young and Kaine have advocated for repealing outdated AUMFs to prevent possible misuse of military force without congressional approval. Their efforts have received bipartisan backing since they introduced similar legislation in 2019. The House previously voted in June 2021 to repeal these authorizations, while the Senate did so in March 2023. However, because those votes occurred in different congressional sessions, the measure did not become law at that time.