Hello John,

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Congress recently repealed outdated war authorities that have fueled decades of endless war.

I’m Jimmie T. Smith, a Gulf War veteran with Concerned Veterans for America. What just happened in Washington echoes back to my time in the Gulf — and it’s long overdue.

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Here’s what happened and what it means:

• Congress repealed outdated resolutions that had encouraged presidents to deploy U.S. military forces without further congressional oversight for decades.
• These resolutions, called Authorizations for Use of Military Force (or AUMFs for short), gave presidents broad permission to deploy U.S. troops overseas — often without clear geographical limits, timelines, or a vote from Congress.
• Over time, AUMFs fueled a culture of endless war, putting our troops in harm’s way without real debate or accountability.

The recent deaths of American troops in Syria made this reality impossible to ignore.

🔎 Go deeper: Take a moment to read an op-ed by CVA’s own John Byrnes on what happened in Syria. It’s a short read, but it lays out what you need to know.

But the work is far from over: Other AUMFs remain on the books and need to be repealed.

I served in the Army and deployed under the 1991 AUMF following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. What was supposed to be temporary stayed on the books for nearly 35 years after the mission was over.

Here’s the bottom line: This repeal marks a cultural shift away from endless war and toward restoring Congress’ responsibility to consider the cost before troops are put in harm’s way.

👉 Add your name to demand Congress repeal AUMFs and restore oversight of war powers.