Rep. Chu Votes to Repeal 2002 AUMF Against Iraq

Washington, DC - Today, the House of Representatives votes to pass H.R. 256, Repealing the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. This bill, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13), will repeal the AUMF that was used to authorize action to defend the national security of the United States against the threat posed by Iraq and to enforce all relevant UN Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), a cosponsor of HR 256, issued the following statement:

'It is well past time to repeal the 2002 AUMF, which authorized a war the US is no longer fighting against a leader that is no longer living. The Iraq War, sold on false pretenses to begin with, was intended to protect US interests from Saddam Hussein and his (nonexistent) weapons of mass destruction. But Saddam Hussein is dead and US troops left Iraq almost a decade ago, officially bringing that war to a close. So it is time to end this AUMF as well.

'This resolution does not impact our ability to defend US interests, troops, or diplomats. But it does end a forever war by repealing an authorization that has been misused as justification to fight enemies like Iran not mentioned in the AUMF. Congress has a constitutional duty to declare war. That must include defining where we fight, when, and against whom. A resolution that is used to fight any enemy, anywhere, any time is clearly not what the constitution intended and I am proud to vote to finally end this AUMF almost twenty years after it was first passed.'