The Democratic party’s platform calls for Congress to pass a new Islamic State-specific authorization for the use of military force, an effort that has been unable to get traction on Capitol Hill for nearly two years.
The draft of the platform, which was posted online on Friday, says the Democratic party will work to defeat the Islamic State, al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups using local ground forces. But it will seek to do so under an updated authorization for the use of military force, not the documents that are more than a decade old under which the Obama administration has been conducting operations for nearly two years.
“Democrats will also seek an updated congressional Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that is more precise about our efforts to defeat ISIS and that does not involve large-scale combat deployment of American troops,” the platform said.
The administration believes it has the authority to conduct current operations against the Islamic State under AUMFs from 2001 and 2003 to carry out military strikes against terrorists and in Iraq, respectively.
Many in Congress on both sides of the aisle have questioned the legality of this, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has been a leading voice calling for Congress to fulfill its duty to debate an authorization for a conflict in which U.S. troops are dying.
Previous efforts, however, have stalled, even when President Obama provided a draft to Congress more than a year ago. Republicans rejected it, saying that it tied the commander in chief’s hands, while Democrats said it was too broad because it lacked geographic restrictions and allowed for a small number of U.S. boots on the ground.
Many lawmakers who voted for the previous authorizations say that those authorities have been stretched far beyond what they were intended for more than a decade ago.
Analysts have also wondered what it would mean and whether strikes would step if Congress debated but was not able to pass a new authorization.
Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said late last year shortly after becoming the new House leader that passing a new AUMF would be a priority in the new Congress, yet so far, it is received no public consideration.
Several amendments to the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act in both the House and Senate that would have forced a vote on a new war authorization were not considered.
