The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden stated on Monday that it supports efforts in the U.S. Congress to repeal the 2002 authorization for military force that allowed for the war in Iraq, reinforcing legislators' attempts to withdraw the power to declare war from the White House. The administration said in a policy statement, "The administration supports the repeal of the 2002 authorization as the current military activities of the United States are not solely based on the 2002 authorization as a domestic legal basis, and repealing the authorization would have little effect on current military operations."
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war, but that power has gradually shifted to the president after Congress passed authorizations that are still in effect today, such as the 2002 authorization for Iraq and the measure that allowed combat against Al-Qaeda following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The statement said that Biden is committed to working with Congress to ensure the repeal of old authorizations and replace them with a "narrowly defined" framework to ensure the country continues to protect itself. The House of Representatives is set to vote this week on legislation introduced by Democratic Representative Barbara Lee to repeal the 19-year-old Iraq war authorization. There has been no news yet on when the Senate will consider the matter.
