New bill authorizing war against IS introduced in U.S. Congress

A new bill on the authorization for the use of military force, or AUMF, against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria was presented before the U.S. Congress Thursday.

Republican Representative from Virginia, Scott Rigell, and Democrat Representative from Vermont, Peter Welch, introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, while Virginia’s Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine and Arizona’s Republican Sen. Jeff Flake did the same in the Senate, making it the first one that is both bipartisan and bicameral at the same time.

The new AUMF, which would expire after three years, seeks to revoke authorization of war on Iraq and focus solely on fighting the IS.

The U.S. government under President Barack Obama is still following the AUMF issued in 2001 against Al Qaeda, but says a new specific ISoriented authorization will be better suited to current requirements for combating the militant group.

The White House had also sent its AUMF draft to the Congress last year, which was rejected by the Republicans for being too restrictive, while Democrats felt the opposite.

Rigell insisted Thursday it was the responsibility of the Congress to authorize a war that actually began long back.

“We must not fear ISIS, nor should we fear the debate about how to defeat ISIS,” he asserted, using another acronym for the IS.