# Plain Language Summary: Accountability for Endless Wars Act of 2021

This bill is designed to make it harder for the President to keep military operations going indefinitely without getting explicit approval from Congress. Right now, the President can conduct military operations for extended periods based on authorizations that Congress passed years or even decades ago. This bill would require the President to come back to Congress every few years and ask for a new authorization if they want to continue military operations in a particular country or region.

Here's what that means in practice: If the military is conducting operations somewhere—say, in a Middle Eastern country—the President would have to get Congress to vote and approve continuing those operations every few years instead of just relying on an old authorization from 2001 or 2002. If Congress doesn't vote to renew the authorization, the military operations would have to stop. The bill essentially puts an expiration date on military authorizations, forcing regular check-ins between the President and Congress about whether military action should continue.

The goal is to give Congress more control over military decisions and prevent wars from continuing on autopilot. Supporters argue this ensures that ongoing military commitments get regular democratic review and that Congress actually debates whether military operations are still necessary. Critics might worry it could complicate military planning or tie the President's hands in responding to threats. Either way, the bill represents an attempt to shift power back to Congress when it comes to decisions about military operations abroad.

Accountability for Endless Wars Act of 2021

Durbin, Richard J.

Accountability for Endless Wars Act of 2021 This bill provides for the automatic termination of laws that authorize the use of military force or declare war. Any such existing law terminates six months after this bill's enactment; any such future law terminates 10 years after enactment.