WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has introduced legislation (S.J.Res.22) to repeal the 2001 Authorization for the use of Military Force (AUMF) that has been used for nearly 20 years – far longer than Congress intended. Both the Senate and House of Representatives approved resolutions on September 14, 2001 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attack against our country. President after president has relied since then on this authority for military action, even against entities that did not exist on 9/11.
“Presidents have full authority to defend our nation from imminent threats, but in Article I of the Constitution it is Congress that is given the power to declare war. It is wholly irresponsible for Congress to continue to allow such a blank check to last for two decades,” said Senator Cardin. “To maximize effectiveness, we need to match the authority to the times. President Biden promised to update the authorities being used in the worldwide effort against terrorists that currently seek to do us harm and he must carry this out. I urge the president – and my colleagues in Congress – to act swiftly to replace the 2001 AUMF with something more appropriate to the threats we face today.”
Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved S.J.Res.10, a joint resolution to repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force against Iraq, and for other purposes. The House of Representatives recently approved a resolution to repeal the 2002 AUMF.
The full text of Senator Cardin’s resolution (S.J.Res.22) follows below and can be found at this link. Senator Cardin introduced similar legislation in 2015.
117TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 22
To prospectively repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mr. CARDIN introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice
and referred to the Committee on ____________________.
JOINT RESOLUTION
To prospectively repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROSPECTIVE REPEAL OF 2001 AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE.
Effective on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution, the Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40; 115 Stat. 224; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) is repealed.
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