Dem introducing bill to authorize force against ISIS militants

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House intelligence committee, said Wednesday he will introduce a bill to authorize the limited use of military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

{mosads}“More than five months after strikes began against ISIL in Syria and Iraq, Congress has yet to debate and take a vote on an authorization to wage war, in clear abdication of our constitutional duties,” Schiff said in a statement, using an alternate acronym for ISIS.

“Last month, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee took an important first step by debating and voting on a draft authorization — it’s my hope that today’s introduction of this bill can help jumpstart the process in the House so Congress gets off the sidelines,” he added.

Schiff said his bill will ban the use of U.S. ground forces in combat missions in Iraq or Syria, authorize the use of force for three years, revise the 2002 Iraq Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) and sunset both the new and 2001 AUMF after three years.

President Obama has already ordered airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, and deployed 3,100 U.S. troops to Iraq, but Congress has struggled to take a vote on whether to authorize those actions.

“Congress needs to do its job and debate and vote on an authorization, so the troops we have fighting this war know that we, too, have done our duty,” Schiff said.

“There is no doubt that our current offensive amounts to war, and Congress should take action both to authorize its prosecution and to set limits on that authorization so it may not be used by any future administration in a manner contrary to our intent,” he added.

Schiff and several other lawmakers introduced AUMF proposals last year, but Congress has yet to tackle the issue.

Democrats are seeking to authorize the president’s actions, with restrictions. Republicans say they would welcome an AUMF but disagree with placing restrictions on the use of force.

The White House has called upon Congress to debate and pass an AUMF, but some lawmakers say it is the White House’s responsibility to send over draft language first.