Kaine & Young Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Formally End Iraq Wars

Legislation passed as part of Senate’s version of FY26 NDAA
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) applauded Senate passage of theirbipartisan billto repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) against Iraq. The legislation passed as an amendment to the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Year 2026National Defense Authorization Act.The House’s version of the FY26 NDAA alsoincludedthe legislation. The FY26 NDAA now heads to conference committee.
“The 1991 and 2002 AUMFs are obsolete. Iraq is now a strategic partner, and leaving these AUMFs on the books runs the risk of potential misuse by presidents of both parties,”said Kaine.“Today’s vote is significant because Congress is finally reaffirming its solemn constitutional responsibility in decisions as important as whether or not we should send servicemembers into harm’s way. I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who voted to repeal these AUMFs against Iraq. I look forward to working with Senate and House leadership to ensure that this important provision remains in the final legislation that goes to President Trump’s desk for his signature, so the United States can finally end this endless war.”
“The Gulf War started 34 years ago, and the Iraq War began 22 years ago. These conflicts have long ended, and today Iraq is a partner, not an adversary. It’s time for our law to reflect that reality,”said Young.“Tonight’s Senate vote is a step in the right direction, and I will continue pushing to repeal these outdated AUMFs and close the book on these forever wars.”
Kaine and Young’s bill has garnered strong bipartisan support since they first introduced it in2019. The House voted to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs inJune 2021. The Senatedid soin March 2023, but because the votes did not occur during the same congressional session, the legislation did not become law.
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