On the recordSeptember 18, 2014
Madam President, I don't think we should adjourn and go home with matters of war and peace in front of us. This Senator certainly intends to support the appropriations bill, the continuing resolution necessary to keep the government functioning. But one of the issues in this continuing resolution is the authorization in order to start training the Free Syrian Army in Saudi Arabia, and this Senator certainly supports that. But the issues beyond just that training are very much in front of us, which involves the United States protecting our national security by going after ISIS--or ISIL or whatever you want to call them. It is the group that has already declared war on us. Day by day we see their efforts, and then we hear their statements that they want to fly the black flag of ISIS over the White House. What more do we need to know about the national security being threatened? Today in a joint session we heard a very inspiring and emotional speech by the President of Ukraine. He so poignantly pointed out how Russia has invaded eastern Ukraine, and it is the Russian Army against the Ukrainian Army. We certainly should be helping them as well, as we are, but it needs to be more. So, too, the national security of the United States is definitely threatened by ISIS. As I have said over and over, I believe the President has the constitutional authority to strike ISIS in Syria, as he already has in northern Iraq, and that is under his constitutional duty as Commander in Chief.…





