Congressional War Powers Resolution Attracts Votes from Across the Political Spectrum

You may not realize it, but the September 2001 Authorization of Use of Military Force (AUMF) for US operations in Afghanistan is still in place. Yes, even though the US has withdrew military personnel from Afghanistan almost two years ago.

What is this AUMF even authorizing? For one, the US still has approximately 900 troops stationed in Syria as a part of military operations against ISIS, without a clear endgame or tailored authorization of its own.

Last Wednesday, Republican Matt Gaetz (FL-01) forced a vote under the War Powers resolution to require the Biden administration to withdraw the troops stationed in Syria within six months.

I’m not used to supporting actions from Gaetz, but he was fully in the right here. The War Powers Resolution secured cross-ideological support, with 56 Democrats and 47 Republicans voting in favor — mostly the most progressive Democrats and the most conservative Republicans. Strange bedfellows, for sure, but saying NO to unchecked war often attracts that. (Saying yes to an alternative foreign policy is what proves thornier.)

103 votes, of course, is not enough, so the measure failed. 171 Republicans and 150 Democrats voted no.

Here are the 56 Democrats:

First-year Democrats on the list include Becca Balint, Greg Casar, Chris Deluzio,Robert Garcia, Val Hoyle, Summer Lee, Delia Ramierz, Shri Thanedar, and Jill Tokuda.

Here are the 47 Republicans: