Following Iraq War's 20th Anniversary, Senator Murray Urges Repeal of Outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force

Floor Speech

"M. President, this past Sunday marked the 20-year anniversary of the war in Iraq.

"Now I could not be prouder of our servicemembers who bravely served our nation overseas.

"I am deeply grateful for their service and sacrifice, and I am committed to making sure we live up to our obligations to each and every one of them.

"But as I have said many times--this is a war I never thought we should have started, and it's one we clearly should have ended long, long ago.

"So I come to the floor today, to urge my colleagues to commemorate the anniversary of this war--by officially ending this badly outdated war authorization, at long last.

"I urge them to join in me in taking the long overdue step of reasserting Congress' authority in decisions about war and peace by voting to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for use of Military Force.

"Because M. President, when we send people to war, it should be a decision--not a status quo.

"M. President, the decision about whether or not to go to war and put servicemembers' lives at risk is the most serious and most consequential issue we can debate here in the United States Senate.

"American lives, American security, and America's future are all at stake when our country decides questions of war and peace.

"And when we first deliberated on whether to take action in Iraq, I wanted to know with absolute confidence that we had done our due diligence before moving forward with the weighty decision to send our men and women into a dangerous conflict.

"That is why all those years ago, I came to the floor to debate the very resolution that gave President Bush the authority he wanted to wage war in Iraq.

"I wanted to know what our goals were, what our plan was, what a victory and exit strategy looked like, and what evidence we had that this was necessary.

"And I will tell you after hearing all sides on whether to engage our military, one thing I still wasn't hearing--was clear answers.

"I determined I could not support sending our men and women into harm's way on an ill-defined mission.

"A mission which ultimately cost us dearly--in lives most importantly, but also in dollars and in our standing around the world.

"Twenty years later, the mission in Iraq is over, our troops have returned home, and Iraq's government has evolved into a diplomatic partner.

"But those outdated legal authorizations remain on the books, leaving an open-ended basis for presidents to misuse our military power for political gain.

"And we have already seen how leaders can use them as a free pass to recklessly push for the misuse of military force.

"Just three years ago, without consulting Congress, former President Trump ordered missile strikes in Iraq against an Iranian military leader which, among many things, jeopardized our relationships with key allies, risked the safety of U.S. servicemembers and civilians, and brought us perilously close to war.

"That is not how this should work.

"That is not how the Constitution says it should work.

"Our servicemembers deserve better than that.

"When and whether to engage in war is a choice that explicitly belongs to Congress and the American people.

"And if we don't assert that power, we risk leaving behind a dangerous precedent for the future.

"That is why I am voting to repeal these authorizations.

"Taking this step will make sure we're doing our part here in Congress to give questions of war the full consideration they deserve, and make sure we're exhausting every diplomatic avenue before jumping into a full blown war effort and putting servicemembers in harm's way.

"I saw the scars--physical and mental--that veterans like my Dad took home from World War II, that veterans like my peers took home from Vietnam, that veterans today have taken home from Iraq.

"This is one of the most important votes we can make--so let's act like it.

"Let's ensure every decision made to authorize the use of military force is responsible, is appropriate, and is constitutional.

"I hope that by repealing these outdated AUMFs we return to a place where Congress--and by extension, the American people can have a serious debate and ultimately decide about whether or not we go to war.

"It's long past time for Congress to reassert its authority and oversight responsibility here, so I urge my colleagues to join me, Senators Kaine and Young, in getting this done."

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