Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Tomorrow’s Vote To Repeal The Authorizations For Use Of Military Force Against Iraq

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on tomorrow’s vote to repeal the Iraq AUMFs of 1991 and 2002. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Yesterday, we took a very important procedural step to set up a vote tomorrow on legislation officially—and finally—repealing the Iraq AUMFs of 1991 and 2002.

I want to thank Senators Kaine and Young for leading this bipartisan legislation and Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch for moving it through the Foreign Relations Committee.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: every year we keep these AUMFs on the books is just another chance for future Administrations to abuse or misuse them beyond their original intent.

War powers belong squarely in the hands of Congress. That’s what the Constitution says, and it means our responsibility to reassert our constitutional duty and prevent future presidents from exploiting these AUMFs to bumble us into a new Middle East conflict is important.

The Iraq War ended over ten years ago. An authorization passed in 2002—under entirely different circumstances and in a different world— is no longer necessary nor relevant in 2023.

Repealing the AUMF will also in no way hinder our national defense, nor will it impact our relationship with the people of Iraq.

Americans are tired of endless wars in the Middle East. We owe it to them—we owe it to our veterans and their families—to repeal the Iraq War AUMF and turn the page on this chapter of our history.

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