To the editor:

In the aftermath of 9/11, 2001 and 2002, Congress enacted the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) giving the president permission to use military force against this attack on the United States. While the country was reeling from the shock of this unexpected event, the bill passed easily.

Since that historic moment, this bill has been used by three presidents to wage ongoing wars without congressional approval. The Congressional Research Service has issued a report showing that in the last 17 years this authorization has been used 41 times in 19 countries, including the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Whether or not we go to war with a country anywhere in the world should not be decided by one person. The United States Constitution specifically states that the executive branch cannot declare war without the consent of Congress.

Presently, Barbara Lee, member of the House of Representatives from California, is circulating bipartisan bill HR 1274, whose aim is to repeal AUMF. This bill, which has so far attracted the support of 130 lawmakers, challenges top-down governance and demands that Congress honor its constitutional duty. In this current volatile period with armed conflicts taking place in many parts of the world, and others threatening to erupt, this issue is more urgent than ever.

Muriel Cohan,

Lawrence