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Repealing the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002

Floor Speech

Date: June 17, 2021
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense Executive Branch Legislative Branch

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Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Members of the Bush administration seized on our fear at that time to persuade Americans that Saddam Hussein posed a grave threat to the United States, and Congress passed an Authorization for Use of Military Force without any limitation on how long it could be in effect.

Nineteen years later, and ten years after we formally ended ground operations, it is still law. This is an abrogation of Article I responsibilities and duties of the Congress of the United States.

There is no more profound power vested in us in the Constitution than to send our young men and women into combat. It is long past time that we dealt with this AUMF and righted the imbalance between the powers of Article I, which are exclusively those of Congress, and the powers of Article II for a Commander in Chief only after Congress has acted.

I am proud to support this measure today.

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