ACLU Welcomes Senate Repeal of 2002 and 1991 Authorizations for Use of Military Force

WASHINGTON — In a bipartisan vote, the Senate voted 66-30 to repeal the 2002 and 1991 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF).

Hina Shamsi, director of ACLU’s National Security Project, issued the following statement:

“We welcome this long overdue vote to repeal unnecessary and outdated bases for this country’s perpetual conflicts. Successive administrations relied on the 2002 AUMF to justify lethal force and detention far beyond Congress’s original purpose of authorizing force against the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq. Repealing outdated statutes is a critical step toward restoring Congress’s essential role in ensuring that the use of force is limited, exceptional, and accountable to the American people.”