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The House next week will vote on a measure to repeal the 2002 law authorizing the president to use military force in Iraq after years of complaints by lawmakers that the authority is outdated and no longer needed.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced Thursday that the House would take up Rep. Barbara Lee's bill to claw back the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq. Congress passed the law nearly two decades ago to give then-President George W. Bush the green light to launch U.S. military operations in Iraq, where it was believed Saddam Hussein was concealing weapons of mass destruction.

The House passed a similar measure in the last Congress, most recently by including it in a major defense bill, but it was later stripped out.

The legislation now stands a much greater chance of success in part because the Senate is under the control of Democrats, and President Joe Biden said he wants to work with Congress to rewrite the 2002 AUMF, as well as one passed in 2001.

Democrats say the 2002 authorization serves no purpose.

"It is not needed for any current operations, including in Iraq," Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, wrote to the Democratic caucus on Thursday. "Repeal of this unnecessary authority is long overdue."

Democrats have been increasingly intent on repealing the AUMF, arguing that it gives the president too much authority to use military force overseas without first consulting with Congress.

Republican support has also increased. Two GOP lawmakers voted in committee to advance the repeal measure, and other Republicans say they agree with the need to revise the nearly two-decades-old authorization.

A similar Senate measure has the backing of five Republicans. The Senate bill would also repeal the 1991 AUMF, which authorized then-President George H.W. Bush to use military force in Iraq after it invaded Kuwait.

The legislation, however, would not repeal the 2001 AUMF, which provided President George W. Bush the authority to launch military operations in Afghanistan in the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Hoyer pointed out to lawmakers Thursday that military operations against terrorist groups in the region "are conducted under the 2001 AUMF."

Original Location: House next week will vote to repeal 2002 Iraq war powers authority

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House next week will vote to repeal 2002 Iraq war powers authority - Denver Gazette

By the time he came to Columbia to study for his masters degree in Human Rights, Amir Ashour (GSAS18) had already founded IraQueer, Iraqs first national LGBTQ+ organization. Ashour, a gay Iraqi himself who is currently living in Sweden before starting his law studies at Harvard, launched the organization in 2014 to lead our own movement and own our future.

IraQueer started as an online platform aiming at simply sharing information about and for queer Iraqis, but within months, it turned into a registered human rights organization, Ashour said. What started with one person is now an internationally recognized organization that is often quoted by governments like the Netherlands, U.S., France, UK, and others.

This Pride Month, Columbia News is highlighting LGBTQ+ Columbians who are making waves at home and around the world. Learn a little more about Ashour and his work with IraQueer below and dont forget to check out our list of ways you can celebrate Pride at Columbia this year.

Growing up in Iraq was difficult for me. Being gay in a society that doesnt even recognize the existence of queer people made it difficult for me to even try and understand who I am. It was not until I was in high school and started researching more about queer people that I started to know what me being attracted to male classmates meant!

Quickly after, I started volunteering and working for organizations, some of which supported LGBTQ+ people. Those opportunities became the main focus of my life. I came out to my mother and two sisters about seven years ago, luckily, they were all supportive and continue to be my biggest advocates.

A week after I came out to them, I came out to the world in an interview with the Huffington Post. Since then, I lost touch with every single member of my extended family and many of my high school and college friends. I wont pretend that it didn't hurt my feelings and had no impact on me, however, I am happier today living my life the way that works for me. I am also grateful to have people whom I consider to be my chosen family, whether it's my partner and dog, my friends, some of whom I met at Columbia, or the mentors and colleagues that Ive worked with and learned from for the past 12 years.

Sadly, the misconception about LGBTQ+ people in Iraq and the MENA Region in general is that we all reject our identities and struggle with who we are. While this is certainly true for a large group of people, there are a lot of amazing queer people in Iraq who are powerful examples for others around them. Most of them are not public about who they are for security reasons, but still do a lot of amazing work. That being said, I do not want to minimize the harsh reality we all lived in growing up there. Too many LGBTQ+ Iraqis face threats, physical and verbal abuse, and even death simply for being born.

Read more here:
This Columbia Alumnus Is Making Waves as the Founder of the First LGBTQ+ Organization in Iraq - Columbia University

The potato harvest in Iraq has started. Staff of the Beirut Erbil Potato Processing Company (B.E.P.P. Co) - known in Iraq for their potato chips brands Mito and Mr, Krisper, but active throughout the entire potato supply chain - are working hard in various regions of Iraq from Karbala to Diyala to Al-Rabiah, Dohuk, Erbil, and beyond.

The company has imported seed potatoes from well-known global sources and is the exclusive distributor for several international companies such as such as Agrico, IPM, The Potato Company (TPC), Norika and Meijer Seed potato.

BEPP Co offers potato varieties such as:

The company imported 14,000 tons of seed potatoes belonging to the above-mentioned companies.

The company cultivates its fields geographically distributed over the entire area of Iraq using the latest agricultural mechanization tools such as planting machines, fertilizer machines, harvesting machines, huge bag filling machines, and box fillers.

Potato harvest in southern Iraq 2/6/2021

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Potato harvest in Iraq and the Kurdistan region has started - PotatoPro

The Parliament of the Republic of Iraq ratified on 4 March 2021 the long-awaited law on the accession of Iraq to The New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (the New York Convention) and the law (the New York Convention Law) was published in the Iraqi official gazette on 31 May 2021 (the Date of Entry into Force).

Back in February 2018, the Iraqi Cabinet had endorsed Iraqs accession to the New York Convention, in an effort to affirm to the international community Iraqs intention to provide legal protection to foreign investors. Full accession however had remained subject to ratification by the Parliament. Article 12 of the New York Convention states that the Convention enters into force for a State acceding to it on the ninetieth day after the State deposits its instrument of accession. On 23 March 2021, an announcement was published on the official website of the New York Convention which read that "Iraq becomes the 168th State Party to the New York Convention" and that "the Convention will enter into force for Iraq once the law is published in Iraqs official gazette".

The Law was published in the Iraqi Official Gazette on 31 May 2021 and provides that it enters into effect upon publication.

The Law as published in the Iraqi Official Gazette states that Iraq accedes to the New York Convention with the following reservations:

The Conventions provisions are inapplicable towards Iraq on arbitral awards rendered prior to the Date of Entry into Force (non-retroactivity exception)

The Convention is inapplicable in relation to recognition and enforceability of awards rendered in other Member States unless other Member States recognize and enforce arbitral awards rendered in Iraq. (condition of reciprocity)

The Convention is inapplicable by the Republic of Iraq except on conflicts arising from contractual and non-contractual relations which are considered commercial under Iraqi Law. (condition of commercial relations)

The arbitration procedures applicable in Iraq are governed by the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law of 1969 (the CCP). Arbitral awards are enforceable before the relevant Iraqi execution authorities only when the competent (local) court accepts the award, based on request by one of the parties to the arbitration. According to the relevant provisions of the CCP, parties to the arbitration may plead for the annulment of the arbitral award, or the competent court may do so on its own, in the following instances:

If the arbitral award was not made in writing or the arbitral agreement is invalid;

If the arbitral tribunal exceeded its agreed-upon powers;

If the arbitral award violates public policy and morals, or provisions of the arbitration law found in the CCP;

If reasons for retrial have emerged; or

If there was a material error in the arbitral award rendered or in the arbitral proceedings and this material error affects the validity of the arbitral award.

Application in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

It is worth noting that the Iraqi New York Convention Law is a legal instrument of federal Iraq, and it remains to be seen whether foreign arbitral awards would find their way to local enforcement in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq based on Iraqs accession to the New York Convention. Article 110.1 of Iraqi Constitution provides exclusive authorities to the Federal government in ratifying international treaties. Furthermore, Article 115 of the Constitution can be understood to mean that the Kurdish government can only legislate in two respects:

in areas not exclusively committed to the federal government (as listed in Article 110 of the Constitution); and

in areas over which authority is shared between the federal and regional governments (those "shared" areas are listed in Articles 112 to 114 of the Constitution).

See more here:
Iraq Law update: Accession to The New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards - Lexology

Lauren Price spent less than one year in Iraq but came home with debilitating health issues caused by toxic exposures she endured while serving.

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. She made it back from Iraq, but she also brought home illnesses and health problems that made every breath she took a struggle.

Lauren Price enlisted in the United States Navy at age 39. Her widower, James Price, explained that Lauren was a young military spouse and mom. So, her own military journey was delayed. Once her kids were old enough, she followed her calling and served in the Navy from 2006 to 2013.

In the mid 2000's, James explained the Army reached out to other branches of the military to send more troops to Iraq. Both Lauren and James volunteered and ending up meeting on that volunteer deployment.

It was the height of the war.

"If she could go and do it, that was one less person that was younger than her that had young kids that was still at the beginning of their life that wouldnt have to go," James Price said of why Lauren volunteered to go into the warzone.

During her eleven-month tour in Iraq, she frequently breathed in toxic smoke from burn pits as she drove trucks on and off base for missions.

Burn pits were used in Iraq and Afghanistan as a way to eliminate waste like chemicals, ammunition, oil and other items they needed to get rid of. Many veterans have described it as a burning hole of toxic waste.

At the time, most didn't consider the burning pit a high-priority threat.

In 2018, Lauren Price told 10 Tampa Bay, "We were there during the worst. It was the most fatalities in Iraq. We were losing a truck with five people every single week out of our brigade. You figured youd get blown up.

However, within months of coming home, Price noticed she was having respiratory problems and would get winded very easily.

During that 2018 interview with 10 Tampa Bay, Lauren Price said, "I had no idea that the thing I would come home to deal with would be literally I cant breathe.

The Prices fought to get Lauren the healthcare, benefits, and medical status she desperately needed to survive. It was an excruciating process.

"From start to finish, it took four years, five appeals, and several congressional letters from members of congress to the VA to finally get her the disability rating that she was due which then, in turn, would allow her to get the medical care through the VA," said James Price.

Ultimately, after several diagnoses including constricted bronchiolitis and cancer, the Prices accepted that Lauren's time on Earth was limited. James said she made it her mission to help other veterans who came home with illnesses caused by toxic exposures.

"What she could do for other veterans and their families was the priority," said Price.

Lauren founded Veteran Warriors and testified before Congress numerous times fighting for burn pit veterans and their families.

James said she fought for others until her final days.

Lauren Price passed away on March 30, 2021, after developing a blood clot. James shared with 10 Tampa Bay reporter, Liz Crawford, some of his last conversation with Lauren.

"Just not ready but keep doing everything that needs to be done for family, for friends, to keep helping out other veterans," said James.

This Memorial Day, two months and one day since Lauren's death, has a whole new meaning for the Price family.

"Being a veteran and knowing people who have given the ultimate sacrifice has always meant more to me than probably non-military individuals but it just hits awfully close to home this weekend," said James.

Along with James, Lauren leaves behind three sons, two stepsons, and six grandchildren. She was 56-years-old.

James hopes to keep her legacy alive through her foundation and helping military veterans.

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First Memorial Day without his wife, an American hero who died from toxic exposure in Iraq - WTSP.com