The US Senate on Wednesday approved repeal of the resolution that gave the green light to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a bipartisan effort to return basic war power to Congress years after an authorization many now see as a mistake.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and nearly 5,000 US soldiers are estimated to have died in the war after the Bush administration falsely claimed Saddam Hussein stockpiled weapons of mass destruction.
“This body has plunged into a war” that had far-reaching consequences, said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who for years has called for repeal of the powers.
Senators voted 66-30 to repeal the 2002 measure and also the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the US-led Gulf War. If passed in the House of Representatives, the repeal is not expected to affect any current military locations.
But lawmakers from both parties are seeking to regain Congress’s powers over US military attacks and deployments, and some lawmakers who voted for the Iraq war two decades ago now say it was a mistake.
Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez noted that it would be the first time in more than 50 years that Congress would overturn a war powers vote, since the Gulf of Tonkin resolution authorizing the war was repealed in the early 1970s. use of military force in Vietnam.
“Americans want to see an end to the endless wars in the Middle East,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, adding that passing the repeal “is a necessary step to put these bitter conflicts behind us.”
Supporters of the repeal, including nearly 20 Republican senators, say it is necessary to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the United States. Critics say the repeal may project weakness at a time when the United States is still grappling with conflict in the Middle East.
“Our terrorist enemies are not ending their war against us,” said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who is at home recovering from a fall and did not attend the vote. “When we deploy our soldiers to dangerous situations, we must give them all the support and legal authorizations that we can.”
The future of the repeal is uncertain in the House of Representatives, where 49 Republicans joined Democrats in support of a similar initiative two years ago. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has hinted that he is open to supporting repeal, although he had previously opposed it.
But Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, has indicated that he would be more pleased if they replaced it with something else. However, it is unknown how it would work.
Kaine and Republican Todd Young, who jointly led the effort, have said they believe a strong bipartisan vote would send a powerful message to Americans who believe their voices should be heard on issues of war and peace.