Sen. Mike Lee Leads Charge to Repeal Historic Military Authorization

WHO:

KSL.com - Sen. Mike Lee is leading the effort to repeal the military authorization.

KSL.com - Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., is also involved in the effort.

KSL.com - The bill is supported by a group of bipartisan senators.

Deseret News - Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is mentioned as part of the discussion.

WHAT:

KSL.com - A bill was introduced to repeal the authorization for use of military force (AUMF) first approved in 1957.

KSL.com - The AUMF is known as the Middle East Force Resolution.

KSL.com - The 1957 AUMF has never been invoked during the Cold War era.

KSL.com - The 1957 AUMF is the longest-active AUMF in U.S. history.

KSL.com - The House approved legislation to repeal the 1957 AUMF in 2021.

WHERE:

KSL.com - The discussions are taking place in Washington, D.C.

Deseret News - The USS Abraham Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in the Middle East.

WHY:

KSL.com - Sen. Mike Lee stated that outdated Congressional authorizations for military action should not remain as a blank check.

KSL.com - Sen. Tim Kaine expressed that the 1957 AUMF serves no purpose and risks potential misuse.

HOW:

KSL.com - An AUMF must be explicitly repealed by Congress to be voided.

KSL.com - The AUMF grants the president authority to send U.S. troops to the Middle East without needing to officially declare war.

(UPDATED August 1, 2026 01:31 UTC)

Senator Mike Lee is spearheading a bipartisan effort in Washington, D.C. to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force, or AUMF, first approved in 1957, which has never been invoked during the Cold War era and is the longest-active AUMF in U.S. history. Joining him in this initiative is Senator Tim Kaine, who argues that the 1957 AUMF serves no purpose and poses risks of misuse, while Senator Susan Collins is also part of the discussions. The AUMF allows the president to deploy U.S. troops to the Middle East without an official declaration of war, and it must be explicitly repealed by Congress to be rendered void.