Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015

Floor Speech

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My thanks to my friend from Texas for giving me the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of Chairman McKeon's amendment, though I have grave concerns about the President's current plan to train and equip Syrian opposition forces in the fight against ISIL.

In my opinion, Madam Speaker, the plan does not fit the threat. ISIL has made the Middle East into a war zone and an advanced training ground for terrorists who, by their own admission, seek to do Americans great harm. Its stated objectives of redrawing the boundaries of and imposing its will on sovereign nations makes the importance of confronting this organization, in the most profound way possible, critical.

Instead of responding proportionately, President Obama has proposed we outsource the problem to other people, and as a military officer, I am concerned that he actually believes this limited use of military power can achieve the ultimate objective of destroying ISIL--a force that is 30,000 strong and growing by the day.

Madam Speaker, I fear--in fact, I firmly believe--that the problem will not be solved by the actions taken by this Congress today. However, we cannot afford to stand idly by for another day, because a step in the right direction is better than no step at all. So I join my colleagues in support of the amendment. I believe, in short order, we will be asked to do more.

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