On the recordJanuary 10, 2020
As it relates to the War Powers Act, obviously, we had a heated debate on the floor yesterday. We have had a robust debate for years in this House on whether or not to modify and make changes to the 2002 AUMF. It has been a constant debate. There has been a lack of an ability to form consensus, clearly, on both sides. I know the gentleman is aware there are a number of Members on our side who have brought up this issue before, as well as Members on your side. Yesterday, we were literally in the middle of a crisis. We had just taken out one of the worst and most brutal terrorists that we have seen, in Soleimani. I haven't seen a lot of disagreement that he was a brutal terrorist. The Obama administration designated him as the head of a terrorist organization, and he was in violation of international law that prohibited him from being in Iraq. In the time of crisis, instead of having a conversation separate from that on actual changes to the AUMF, if that is where my friend's majority would like to go--clearly, again, on our side, there were people who were interested in having that debate. It was disappointing that, instead, we went into what turned out to be more of an effort to take a cheap shot at the administration by bringing a resolution that had absolutely no effect of law. If the AUMF is going to be changed, it has to be an act of Congress. I know the gentleman is aware of that. On our side, we are aware of that, too.…
