Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), the only member of Congress to vote against the Afghanistan War, on Thursday criticized President Obama's plan to leave 5,500 troops there after he leaves office.

"More than a decade later, we remain mired in a war with no end. Rather than extending this costly war, it's time to listen to the American people and bring our troops home," Lee said in a statement.

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Lee was the sole vote against authorizing the use of force in Afghanistan in 2001.

"When I voted 'no,' I said it was a blank check and would set the stage for perpetual war, and that's what it's done," she said in an interview with The Hill last year. "I think members now understand it was a blank check. No way should we give any president authority to wage a war forever."

Lee noted that last week was the 14th anniversary of the war.

"Today, we learned that our troops will remain in the country through 2017, further extending the longest war in American history," she said. "In Afghanistan, our brave servicemen and women have gone above and beyond the call of duty. It's past time to end this war."

Lee, a member of the House Appropriations and Budget committees, and co-chairwoman of the Progressive Caucus, said the war's price tag totals more than $716 billion and "has prevented us from acting on our domestic priorities."

It has also cost 2,350 American lives, and thousands more veterans bear visible and invisible scars, she said.

"While Afghanistan and the region still face significant challenges, history has shown us that there is no military solution," she said.

"Only an inclusive political solution can put Afghanistan on a path to peace and prosperity. The future of Afghanistan must be in the hands of the Afghan people."