Time for a new Afghan debate

The United States has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 16 years — the longest war in American history. During that time, our nation has lost more than 2,200 servicemembers, with tens of thousands more wounded. The United States is currently spending more than $ 3 billion per month in Afghanistan — conducting military operations, training Afghan security forces, and supporting the Afghan central government.

Despite these efforts, the central government continues to lose significant ground to the Taliban, and negotiations over a political settlement seem much further away now than in years past.

Before the end of President Trump’s term, we will ask the first servicemember not yet born on Sept. 11, 2001, to put her life on the line fighting in Afghanistan. We will ask that same servicemember to vote for a member of Congress who, more likely than not, has never debated the merits of that war.

Across three presidential administrations and Congresses held at various times by both political parties, at no time since 2001 has Congress assert- ed its constitutional responsibility to fully debate this war. At no time since 2001 have we, as an independent branch of government with war authorization powers, demanded accountability from the executive branch about the commitments the American people should be willing to continue to make. The time for that debate is long past due.

That’s why my Republican colleague Walter Jones and I have introduced House Resolution 1666, which states that no funds may be used for most operations in Afghanistan unless Congress debates and passes a joint resolution to authorize those funds.

It is not enough for Congress to continue to ask administration after administration for the next grand strategy in Afghanistan. It is not enough for the administration to simply explain what 13,000 troops will accomplish that 100,000 could not in 2011 at the height of our presence. It is Congress’ responsibility to authorize war, and it is long past time for the American people, through their elected representatives, to debate the terms on which this war will continue.