The House overwhelmingly rejected legislation Wednesday that would have recalled U.S. troops from Iraq, in an attempt by a small bipartisan group of members to get Congress to debate the need for a new authorization for the use of military force.
Members opposed the legislation 288 to 139, with one member voting present. At least 19 Republicans voted in support of the legislation introduced by Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass; Walter Jones. R-N.C.; and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., that would require the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq starting in 30 days if no new force authorization is approved.
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Most members who voted against the measure chose to address the risks posed regardless of whether a new authorization should come to the floor.
“I believe a withdrawal by a date certain at this time sets the wrong policy,” said Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., conceding that “Congress needs to do its job and pass an AUMF. We should have acted on this months ago. A 2001 authorization for a 2015 conflict sends a terrible precedent.”
The lack of a renewed authorization has not kept the U.S. from sending more than 3,000 advisers and trainers to Iraq or conducting thousands of airstrikes against Islamic State forces in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen, which was done under the terms of the current war authorization.
McGovern said he brought the bill to the floor to force Congress to discuss the war “and take some responsibility for it.”
The floor debate followed an earlier lengthy appearance by Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey in front of the House Armed Services Committee where both DOD officials were grilled over what President Obama’s strategy is against the Islamic State.
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“I think we all want to know how — how does this end and where do we draw the line on American involvement in this conflict?” Rep. Mark Takai, D-Hawaii, said.
