These Iraq War Supporters Are Still in Congress

by | Mar 18, 2023

On March 19, 2003 the United States began its military invasion of Iraq. The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq passed Congress in October 2002, with 296 congressmen and 77 senators voting in favor of giving President George W. Bush carte blanche authority to decide if and when to go to war.

Twenty years later, this is a list of members of Congress who voted for the AUMF and are still in office.

There are sixteen congressmen, including nine Republicans and seven Democrats.

  • Ken Calvert (R-CA)
  • Darrell Issa (R-CA)
  • Mike Simpson (R-ID)
  • Hal Rogers (R-KY)
  • Sam Graves (R-MO)
  • Chris Smith (R-NJ)
  • Frank Lucas (R-OK)
  • Joe Wilson (R-SC)
  • Kay Granger (R-TX)
  • Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
  • Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
  • Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
  • Bill Pascrell (D-NJ)
  • Adam Schiff (D-CA)
  • Brad Sherman (D-CA)
  • Adam Smith (D-WA)

There are ten senators, including five Republicans and five Democrats.

  • Susan Collins (R-ME)
  • Mike Crapo (R-ID)
  • Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
  • Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
  • Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
  • Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
  • Tom Carper (D-DE)
  • Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
  • Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
  • ​Ed Markey (D-MA)1Ed Markey voted for the AUMF as a member of the House and has since been elected to the Senate.

These politicians voted for arguably the most unnecessary foreign policy blunder in United States history and incurred no electoral repercussions.

About Hunter DeRensis

Hunter DeRensis is editor at the Libertarian Institute and communications director of the veterans advocacy organization Bring Our Troops Home. His writing has been featured at The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Real Clear Politics, Real Clear Defense, Antiwar.com, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

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