Surprise amendment will force first congressional war powers vote in 15 years

The surprise adoption of an amendment to require Congress to vote on new military authorization for the president may well end up being sidelined by GOP leaders, but their doing so would still require the first House vote on presidential military authority in 15 years.

Rep. Barbara Lee, an anti-war progressive California Democrat, proposed the amendment to revoke the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump have utilized to carry out military missions overseas. Lee’s amendment sets a 240-day deadline for Congress to pass a new authorizing measure.