House Democrats Call on President Biden to Repeal AUMFs

 

In a letter to Biden, Democrats urge Biden to immediately repeal 2002 AUMF and work with Congress to limit the 2001 AUMF

Dave DeCamp 

Posted onJanuary 21, 2021CategoriesNewsTagsBiden

On Thursday, five House Democrats sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to reconsider presidential war powers and repeal the “outdated and overly broad Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs).”

The letter addressed the 2001 AUMF that became law shortly after September 11th, 2001, and the 2002 AUMF that was used to invade Iraq. The lawmakers urge Biden to immediately repeal the 2002 AUMF and work with Congress to address and limit the 2001 AUMF.

The letter was signed by Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Anthony Brown (D-MD), James McGovern (D-MA), and Barbara Lee (D-CA). Lee, who is spearheading the effort, was the sole “no” vote against the 2001 AUMF when the House voted on the resolution.

The letter explains how three successive presidents abused the 2001 AUMF to wage war “in more than seven countries, against a continuously expanding list of targetable adversaries.”

While the 2002 AUMF is more narrowed down, it has also been used to justify US aggression besides the invasion of Iraq. After the Trump administration assassinated Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January 2020, the administration cited the 2002 AUMF as the legal justification for the killing.

Restricting the president’s war-making abilities has increasing bipartisan support. “Common sense will tell you it’s not right,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said of the AUMFs, according to Politico. “Bin Laden’s on the bottom of the ocean. Saddam Hussein — his demise — it’s been over a decade ago, too.”

Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have long said the AUMFs need to be repealed or changed. The issue is getting the executive branch to agree to limit its powers.

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/01/21/house-democrats-call-on-president-biden-to-repeal-aumfs/