Ben Cardin actually said...

"I think it was the United States Senate, guided by this committee, that did exactly what we needed to do in regards to the appropriate role of Congress."

"Congress has a responsibility to express itself on the use of military force and that the interpretations of both Democratic and Republican administrations on our 2001 authorization certainly go well ..."

"I do not believe Congress has authorized force."

"It was not terribly controversial, but it did contain a restriction."