16 September 2017

News Story: Senate Blocks Attempt To Repeal Bill For Afghanistan War

The US Senate on Wednesday turned back an attempt to repeal the current authority for the US military force in the 16-year-old Afghanistan war and the fight in Iraq.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, an anti-war crusader, had offered an amendment to the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to repeal war authority granted in 2001 and 2002, reported CNBC. 

He said the current war authorizations were outdated and that Congress needed to "grab power back" from the executive branch, which he said has been using the war authorizations for "unauthorized, unconstitutional and undeclared war."

Paul had threatened to essentially slow down the legislative process for passing the fiscal 2018 NDAA unless there was a floor debate on the war authorizations. 

The NDAA sets forth the Pentagon's budget and major programs for the next fiscal year, which starts in October.

But by a 61-36 vote, the Senate voted to table the Paul amendment - in effect killing - the attempt to repeal the war authorization, CNBC reported.

Read the full story at TOLOnews