Democratic and Republican lawmakers this week will likely form a bipartisan coalition to pass President Obama‘s request to arm and train Syrian rebels.
With support from both House leaders from both parties, the measure could pass as early as Tuesday, although lawmakers are weighing whether to attach it to a must-pass government funding bill or take it up as separate legislation.
“I think most of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, are motivated to be supportive of the president,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., said after a recent closed-door briefing with fellow Democrats. “Obviously there are going to be elements in both caucuses who disagree, but I don’t sense enormous dissension.”
The two parties are likely to work together to pass the legislation even as they plan to spend most of September battling over partisan legislation that stands no chance of ever becoming law.
There is enough dissent on both sides that passage will likely require the two parties to work together, and they have signaled that will happen.
In a rare show of unity, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., both back Obama’s request, as does Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
“At this point in time it’s important that we give the president what he’s asking for,” Boehner said last week.
Although some media have reported existing funds must be authorized to pay for the mission to arm and train the Syrians, GOP aides said the legislation may not necessitate the authorization of funds.
The House began grappling with Obama’s request as the president announced a broader strategy that includes targeted air strikes to defeat the terrorist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is destabilizing the Middle East.
In recent weeks, the public has become increasingly worried about the threat of the Islamic State, who released videos showing them beheading two American journalists. Polling shows the majority of Americans want the United States to take action to defeat the group.
But there’s plenty of discontent to go around in both parties when it comes to the request to train the Syrians.
While there is broad agreement among lawmakers that the United States should help combat the Islamic terrorist threat, some lawmakers in both parties fear U.S military equipment will end up in the hands of the Islamic State or other terrorist groups.
“We must have greater assurance that we aren’t arming extremists who will eventually use those weapons against us,” Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, who is in a tough re-election race, said in a statement.
Lawmakers are also wary of voting on expanding U.S. military action so close to the critical November election, a move that could be particularly unpopular with the Democratic base.
The House Democratic liberal wing, the Progressive Caucus, released a statement calling for a vote on training and arming the Syrian rebels to be separate from a vote on government funding.
House leaders are more likely to break up the two measures in order to allow opponents to vote against arming the Syrians without having to oppose funding the government.
The fiscal year ends Sept. 30. The House is planning to vote on a measure to keep funding at current levels until Dec. 11.
Senior Congressional Correspondent David M. Drucker contributed to this report
