Sen. Tim Kaine said he is “pretty confident” Congress will debate and vote on an military authorization measure when lawmakers return after the Nov. 4 election.
Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, appearing at a Center for American Progress Action Fund event, said he has talked privately with Congressional leaders and “there is a strong belief” that Congress must vote on a new authorization measure.
Kaine is the sponsor of one of several military authorization measures. His legislation would give President Obama a “narrow” one-year authorization with a limitation on the use of ground troops and restrictions on which militant groups the United States can pursue.
Kaine said White House officials are closely engaged with Congress in crafting the military authorization language and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., has pledged to take up the legislation in his committee November.
Kaine said he rejected the assertion by House and Senate leaders in both parties that 2001 and 2002 military authorization measures passed by Congress empower Obama to conduct the latest airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.
Kaine said Congress would be abdicating responsibility if it did not hold a vote on military action in the Middle East.
“It is just the height of public immorality to command people to risk their lives if we are not willing to do the simple and clear forward thing that is on our shoulders to do,” Kaine said.
Congressional leaders have said they plan to have a debate on military authorization but neither House Majority Leader John Boehner R-Ohio, nor Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has committed taking up and voting on a specific authorization measure.
