Young, Kaine Applaud Passage of Their Bill to Repeal 1991 & 2002 AUMFs, Formally End Gulf & Iraq Wars

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan bill to 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 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The House's version of the FY26 NDAA also included the legislation. The FY26 NDAA now heads to conference committee.

"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 Senator 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 "Tonight's Senate vote is a step in the right direction, and I will continue pushing to repeal these outdated AUMFs and close the book on these forever wars."

"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 Senator 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."

Young and Kaine have been leading voices in Congress on the need to repeal outdated AUMFs to prevent potential misuse and have raised concerns over the use of military force without congressional authorization. Their bill has garnered strong bipartisan support since they first introduced it in 2019. The House voted to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs in June 2021. The Senate did so in March 2023, but because the votes did not occur during the same congressional session, the legislation did not become law.