Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell opened the Senate floor Monday by declaring his support for the U.S. bombing mission in Syria over the weekend.
“I support both the actions taken and the underlying objectives,” the Kentucky Republican said.
The United States, along with Britain and France, struck three Syrian targets in retaliation for President Bashar Assad’s suspected use of chemical weapons on civilians, which killed at least 70 people.
McConnell also praised the performance of the U.S. military in carrying out the strikes.
“The tactics the Assad regime has employed to consolidate gains and terrorize the people of Syria have stood in defiance of the clear U.S. position that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable,” McConnell said. “It was time to act.”
Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will come to Capitol Hill this week to brief lawmakers on the strikes.
Democrats and a few Republicans are calling for a vote from Congress if the president plans to escalate U.S. military action in Syria.
