U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) on Oct. 9 applauded passage by the U.S. Senate of a bipartisan bill he supports to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) against Iraq.
H.R. 1488 passed as an amendment to both chambers’ fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which now heads to conference committee. Sen. Young and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) had introduced the same bill in previous sessions of Congress.
“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,” Sen. Young said on Oct. 9. “Tonight’s Senate vote is a step in the right direction, and I will continue pushing to repeal these outdated AUMFs and close the book on these forever wars.”
Sen. Kaine agreed, calling the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs 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,” he said. “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.”
Sens. Young and Kaine have been leading voices in Congress on the need to repeal outdated AUMFs to prevent potential misuse and have raised concerns over the use of military force without congressional authorization.
The bill has garnered strong bipartisan support since they first introduced it in 2019, according to staff. The House voted to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs in June 2021. The Senate approved it in March 2023, but because the votes did not occur during the same congressional session, the legislation did not become law.