Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I am pleased today to introduce in the Senate, with my colleague Senator Flake, the first bipartisan Authorization for Use of Military Force, AUMF, against ISIL. The United States launched military action against ISIL over 10 months ago on August 8, 2014. It is far past time for Congress to fulfill its duty by debating and determining whether or not it is in the nation's best interest to order United States troops to risk their lives in this mission and vote on an ISIL AUMF.

This bill authorizes the U.S. mission against ISIL for the purpose of protecting the lives of U.S. citizens and providing military support to regional partners in their battle to defeat ISIL. As stated by the authorization, the use of significant U.S. ground troops in combat against ISIL is not consistent with this purpose, except to protect lives of U.S. citizens from imminent threat. Other key provisions include a sunset after three years unless reauthorized; a repeal of the 2002 Iraq AUMF; and a clause that defines this authorization as the sole statutory authority for the war on ISIL, as opposed to the 2001 AUMF.

Thousands of members of the United States Armed Forces have been deployed to support military operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. As of June 2015, the United States has conducted over 3,500 airstrikes against ISIL and spent more than $2,600,000,000 American taxpayer dollars on this war--a number that continues to rise by approximately $9,000,000 per day. Tragically, members of the Armed Forces have been killed in Operation Inherent Resolve, and United States hostages have been killed by ISIL in barbaric ways.

However, while Congress has authorized appropriations for Operation Inherent Resolve and the training of anti-ISIL forces in Syria, it has yet to take formal action to approve this mission. Doing so is critical for reinforcing the leadership of the United States with our coalition partners and sending a strong message to our adversaries that the United States is united in the fight against ISIL and speaks with one voice in confronting ISIL.

President Obama submitted an authorization for use of military force against ISIL in February 2015. And still Congress has not undertaken its most solemn duty and responsibility under Article 1. The American public deserves this congressional debate to educate them about the national security interests at stake and the advisability of this war and Congress should do its job by formally voicing its support or disapproval of the mission against ISIL.

I am proud to join Senator Flake in introducing a bill to start this necessary debate. As we saw with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, it is possible to find bipartisan compromise on even the toughest of foreign policy issues and I challenge my colleagues to finally come together to do what is right for our troops and our nation.

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