WASHINGTON, DC – Virginia U-S Senator Tim Kaine is applauding committee passage of his bill that repeals the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force, which will formally end the Gulf and Iraq wars.

Speaking during Wednesday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Kaine said although those wars are over, the Authorizations for Use of Military Force remain on the books.

“Although the 1991 Gulf and 2002 Iraq wars are over and Iraq is no longer an enemy, the Authorizations for Use of Military Force remain on the books,” Kaine said. “Congress has a constitutional and moral responsibility to repeal them so that future presidents can’t use these authorizations as a blank check to send servicemembers into harm’s way. I’m glad we’re one step closer today to repealing these outdated and unnecessary AUMFs. I welcomed Majority Leader Schumer’s commitment to bring our bill to the Senate floor in coming weeks, and I urge my colleagues to pass our bipartisan bill so we can formally end the Gulf and Iraq wars.”

Kaine added that the measure has the support of 12 Democrats and 12 Republcans.