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“I don't believe the authorization the president asked for will give him the tools he needs to defeat ISIL,” the speaker says.
(Bloomberg) -- House Speaker John Boehner said President
Barack Obama needs a broader authorization measure for U.S.
military action against Islamic State that doesn’t limit its
options.
“The president is asking for less authority than he has today under previous authorizations,” the Ohio Republican said on the “Fox News Sunday” television program. “I don’t think that’s smart.”
Obama on Wednesday sent Congress a draft authorization to battle Islamic State fighters, while prohibiting U.S. troops from engaging in “enduring offensive ground combat operations.”
The push by Republicans for what Boehner called a more “robust authorization” sets up a fight against some Democrats who are seeking more curbs on Obama’s authority to use ground troops, underscoring the difficulty Congress will have in passing a war resolution.
“I don’t believe the authorization the president asked for will give him the tools he needs to defeat ISIL,” Boehner said, using an acronym for Islamic State, which declared a self-styled caliphate and controls parts of Iraq and Syria.
White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said on the CBS program “Face the Nation” that Obama’s proposal gives Congress “a good place to start.”
“What they shouldn’t do this time is what they did in 2013, when they took a pass on the issue,” McDonough said. “The president has given them a road map to follow. They can take that or they can come up with something else.”
Senate Republicans failed three times to advance the bill, which seeks to reverse Obama’s executive orders on immigration policy.
“The House has acted,” Boehner said. “We’ve done our job. It’s up to Senate Democrats to get their act together.”
The Homeland Security Department faces a shutdown of non-essential operations if Congress doesn’t reach agreement before current funding ends on Feb. 27.
Boehner also defended his decision to invite Israeli Prime Mininster Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress on March 3 without first consulting with the White House.
Boehner said the prime minister’s message will be important as Obama’s administration tries to reach an agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear program. Netanyahu has said he opposes the basic framework of those talks.
“We’re trying to strengthen the president’s hand in these negotiations,” Boehner said of his decision. Obama has said he won’t meet with Netanyahu because the visit comes too close to Israel’s parliamentary elections.
To contact the reporter on this story: David Lerman in Washington at dlerman1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: John Walcott at jwalcott9@bloomberg.net Vince Golle, Bernard Kohn
“The president is asking for less authority than he has today under previous authorizations,” the Ohio Republican said on the “Fox News Sunday” television program. “I don’t think that’s smart.”
Obama on Wednesday sent Congress a draft authorization to battle Islamic State fighters, while prohibiting U.S. troops from engaging in “enduring offensive ground combat operations.”
The push by Republicans for what Boehner called a more “robust authorization” sets up a fight against some Democrats who are seeking more curbs on Obama’s authority to use ground troops, underscoring the difficulty Congress will have in passing a war resolution.
“I don’t believe the authorization the president asked for will give him the tools he needs to defeat ISIL,” Boehner said, using an acronym for Islamic State, which declared a self-styled caliphate and controls parts of Iraq and Syria.
White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said on the CBS program “Face the Nation” that Obama’s proposal gives Congress “a good place to start.”
“What they shouldn’t do this time is what they did in 2013, when they took a pass on the issue,” McDonough said. “The president has given them a road map to follow. They can take that or they can come up with something else.”
Homeland Funding
Boehner also said he’s prepared to let funding lapse for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and blame Senate Democrats if the Senate fails to pass a House-backed bill for the agency.Senate Republicans failed three times to advance the bill, which seeks to reverse Obama’s executive orders on immigration policy.
“The House has acted,” Boehner said. “We’ve done our job. It’s up to Senate Democrats to get their act together.”
The Homeland Security Department faces a shutdown of non-essential operations if Congress doesn’t reach agreement before current funding ends on Feb. 27.
Boehner also defended his decision to invite Israeli Prime Mininster Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress on March 3 without first consulting with the White House.
Boehner said the prime minister’s message will be important as Obama’s administration tries to reach an agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear program. Netanyahu has said he opposes the basic framework of those talks.
“We’re trying to strengthen the president’s hand in these negotiations,” Boehner said of his decision. Obama has said he won’t meet with Netanyahu because the visit comes too close to Israel’s parliamentary elections.
To contact the reporter on this story: David Lerman in Washington at dlerman1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: John Walcott at jwalcott9@bloomberg.net Vince Golle, Bernard Kohn
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