Senate panel votes to repeal war authorization laws

A US Senate committee on Wednesday voted to repeal the 1991 law that authorized the Persian Gulf War and the 2002 law that authorized President George W. Bush to invade Iraq and topple Saddam Hussein.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, by a 14-8 vote, with all Democrats and three Republicans, sent the resolution to the Senate floor.

The panel backed the legislation 14-8 with Republicans Rob Portman of Ohio, Todd Young of Indiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky joining Democrats in support of the measure. The House already approved a similar step in June.

"Congresses of both parties have abdicated our responsibility regarding the power to declare war and allowed presidents of both parties to act unilaterally," said Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat and co-sponsor of the measure. "Congressional action to repeal these authorizations will represent a step toward Congress taking its most solemn responsibility seriously."

The vote came a day after Biden administration officials testified before a Senate panel, saying that both of the war laws were obsolete and weren't being used anymore.

The vote was preceded by a debate over the scope and limits of President Joe Biden's power to use military force against Iran. Biden has twice authorized missile strikes against Iranian-backed militias threatening American forces — in Syria in February and in Syria and Iraq in June — citing his constitutional authority as commander in chief.

Several Republicans on the committee said they supported the idea of repealing the 1991 and 2002 war authorizations but expressed concern that it would send a message of weakness to Iran.

Republican senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee proposed amendments they argued would preserve the president's options to respond to threats from Iran and or its proxy forces. They were voted down.

While presidents have some constitutional power to launch limited military operations on their own, a 1973 law — the War Powers Resolution — requires such missions to end after 60 days if they lack congressional blessing.