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A2 u.s. News
Friday 17 March 2023
Senators take first step in repealing Iraq War authorization
By MARY CLARE JALONICK measure that sanctioned the White House issued a
and ELLEN KNICKMEYER the U.S.-led Gulf War to ex- statement Thursday in sup-
Associated Press pel Iraqi leader Saddam port.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Hussein's forces from Ku- "Repeal of these authori-
Senate took a first step wait. Nineteen Republicans zations would have no im-
Thursday toward repeal- joined Democrats in sup- pact on current U.S. military
ing two measures that give porting the measure. operations and would sup-
open-ended approval for The bipartisan effort comes port this administration's
military action in Iraq, push- at a time when lawmakers commitment to a strong
ing to end that authority as of both parties are seeking and comprehensive rela-
the United States marks the to reclaim congressional tionship with our Iraqi part-
20th anniversary of the Iraq powers over U.S. military ners," the White House said.
War. strikes and deployments, It's unclear whether lead-
Senators voted 68-27 to arguing that the war au- ers in the Republican-con-
move forward on legisla- thorizations are no longer trolled House would bring
tion that would repeal the necessary and subject to the bill up for a vote. Forty-
2002 measure that green- misuse if they are left on the nine House Republicans
lighted that March 2003 books. President Joe Biden supported the legislation
invasion of Iraq and a 1991 has backed the push, and when then-majority Demo-
President George W. Bush announces he has reached an
agreement with House leaders on a resolution giving him
authority to oust Saddam Hussein, in the Rose Garden, Oct 2,
2002. Bush is joined by, from left to right front row, Speaker of
the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill, Bush, Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., and
House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
Associated Press
crats held a vote two years tary strike was warranted.
ago, but current House The U.S. was already at war
Speaker Kevin McCarthy, then in Afghanistan, the
R-Calif., opposed it. country that hosted the
Senate Republicans are al-Qaida plotters respon-
also split on the legislation. sible for the Sept. 11, 2001,
While the 19 GOP senators attacks, something Iraq
voted for it, opponents ar- played no part in.
gue that the repeal could Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a
project weakness to U.S. Democrat who was in the
enemies. They have point- Senate at the time and vot-
ed out that President Don- ed against the resolution,
ald Trump's administration said on the floor before
cited the 2002 Iraq war Thursday's vote that "I look
resolution as part of its le- back on it, as I'm sure oth-
gal justification for a 2020 ers do, as one of the most
U.S. drone strike that killed important votes that I ever
Iranian Gen. Qassim Solei- cast."
mani. "The repeal of this authori-
The October 2002 votes to zation of use the use of mili-
give President George W. tary force does not mean
Bush broad authority for the United States has be-
the invasion — coming just come a pacifist nation,"
a month before the mid- Durbin said. "It means that
term elections that year the United States is going
— became a defining mo- to be a constitutional na-
ment for many members tion and the premise of our
of Congress as the country Founding Fathers will be re-
debated whether a mili- spected."