Washington: Despite Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's efforts to have the 2001 law repealed, the US Senate overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to maintain congressional authorization for the use of military force in the fight against terrorism worldwide.
As they are discussing a separate repeal of two authorizations for military force in Iraq, the Senate voted down the amendment 86–9. Widespread bipartisan support exists to revoke the congressional authorization for military action against Saddam Hussein's regime in 1991 and 2002.
The 2001 law gave President George W. Bush broad authority for the invasion of Afghanistan and the fight against terrorism, approving force "against those nations, organisations, or persons" that planned or assisted the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. However, those two authorizations are rarely used and focused on a single nation, Iraq.
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Passed in October 2001, it is still used today to support US military action against terror organisations that are seen as a threat to America, such as Al-Qaeda and its affiliates like Daesh and Al-Shabab.
The law passed in 2002 that served as the catalyst for the invasion of Iraq 20 years ago this week has been much less frequently used, and those who favour its repeal claim it is abuse-prone. Joe Biden, the president, has stated his support for the repeal.
Both Democratic and Republican senators argued that the 2001 authorization for the war on terror should not be completely repealed, but that they might be open to replacing it in the future and limiting its scope. Prior to the vote on the amendment, Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Paul claimed that since Hussein's regime has fallen, Congress is "missing the point" by repealing only the Iraq authorizations. According to him, by maintaining the 2001 law, Congress is approving "war everywhere, all the time" with this authorization.
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Next week, the Senate is anticipated to vote to repeal the two Iraq-related laws. 19 Republicans joined Democrats in a test vote this week to advance the legislation.
Even if the bill passes the Senate, it's unclear whether Republican-led House leaders will put it to a vote. Two years ago, the legislation repealing the Iraqi authorities was supported by 49 House Republicans, but current House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was against it at the time.
McCarthy gave this week's indication that he is willing to support the proposal, but it is unclear whether House Republicans will pass the Senate bill as is. Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a Republican from Texas, expressed interest in replacing the two Iraq authorizations rather than simply repealing them, a proposal that is unlikely to receive support in the Senate.
On Wednesday, McCaul had a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, to discuss the use of force authorizations and other topics. I'm going to be for replacement," he declared after that meeting. I'll wait to see what the top brass decides.
The primary Democratic author of the Senate bill to repeal the Iraq authorizations, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, said he thinks bipartisan support in the House could move votes. McCarthy's new openness was mentioned, and he stated that in his opinion, the House is "getting better and better every day" on the subject.
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Repeal, according to Kaine and Indiana Sen. Todd Young, a Republican who is also leading the charge, will benefit America's strategic alliance with Iraq. Some of the lawmakers who were previously willing to vote for repeal, according to Kaine, do not seem to have overlooked that connection.