ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Iraqi foreign ministry on Wednesday welcomed the US Senate's passing of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2026, which includes the repeal of two authorizations for the use of US military force in Iraq dating from the Gulf War and the 2003 US-led invasion respectively.

The US Senate passed the $900-billion defense bill with 77 votes in favor to 22 against, with the legislation set to pass by President Donald Trump's desk next for final approval.

The two pieces of legislation in question laid the legal groundwork for the 1991 US military response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the toppling of Baathist leader Saddam Hussein in 2003.

"The completion of the process of revoking the two authorizations for the use of military force, which had been in place for over thirty years, indicates a shift in the convictions of American lawmakers due to a number of domestic and foreign policy considerations," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This revocation also represents a fundamental turning point in changing the legal nature of the relationship between the two countries, establishing a new form of relationship based on respect for Iraq's sovereignty and ending the legacy of war, as well as strengthening the framework of the strategic partnership," the statement continued.

"This sends a message to the international community that Iraq has become a safe and attractive environment for investment."

According to the text of the bill, the US will allocate $212,516,000 for supporting the training and equipping of forces operating against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq, while providing $130,000 to similar efforts in Syria.

The bill also includes provisions that up to 50 percent of funds may be withheld from the Iraqi government unless they are deemed to have taken "credible steps... to reduce the operational capacity of Iran-aligned militia groups not integrated into the Iraqi Security Forces through a publicly verifiable disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration process."

Baghdad must also prove that steps have been taken to improve the prime minister's control over security forces and to "hold accountable" actors outside of the formal chain of command "who engage in attacks on United States or Iraqi personnel or otherwise act in an illegal or destabilizing manner."