ICYMI: Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s 2002 AUMF Repeal Legislation to be Considered by the House This Week
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s legislation to repeal the 2002 AUMF will be considered on the House floor later this week. Congresswoman Lee was the lone vote against the 2001 AUMF following the attacks on 9/11.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee presided over the vote on the rule
This is the first time Congresswoman Lee’s legislation will be considered by the House as a standalone bill. In previous sessions of Congress, she offered a repeal of the 2002 AUMF as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill. Both times it passed the House.
The White House issued a Statement of Administration Policy in support of Congresswoman Lee’s legislation, demonstrating strong support from President Biden.
“This week, we will make a monumental step forward in our fight to end forever wars,” said Congresswoman Lee. “For 20 years, I’ve been working to end forever wars and put matters of war and peace back in the hands of Congress, as constitutionally intended. We are finally on the cusp of achieving that goal.
“Once we pass a repeal of the 2002 AUMF, we must keep up our fight to repeal the 2001 AUMF so that no future president has the unilateral power to plunge us into endless wars. I’d like to thank Leader Hoyer, Speaker Pelosi, and Whip Clyburn for bringing this bill to the floor, and I look forward to a successful vote on Thursday.”
The bill will be debated and voted on in the House on Thursday. To read the Statement of Administration Policy from the White House, click here and see below.
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 256 — Repeal of Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002
(Rep. Lee, D-CA with 134 co-sponsors)
The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 256, to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (“2002 AUMF”). This bipartisan legislation would terminate the October 16, 2002, statutory authorization for the use of military force against Iraq.
The Administration supports the repeal of the 2002 AUMF, as the United States has no ongoing military activities that rely solely on the 2002 AUMF as a domestic legal basis, and repeal of the 2002 AUMF would likely have minimal impact on current military operations. Furthermore, the President is committed to working with the Congress to ensure that outdated authorizations for the use of military force are replaced with a narrow and specific framework appropriate to ensure that we can continue to protect Americans from terrorist threats.
In working with the Congress on repealing and replacing other existing authorizations of military force, the Administration seeks to ensure that the Congress has a clear and thorough understanding of the effect of any such action and of the threats facing U.S. forces, personnel, and interests around the world. As the Administration works with the Congress to reform AUMFs, it will be critical to maintain the clear authority to address threats to the United States’ national interests with appropriately decisive and effective military action.