Lummis Votes Against Syrian Involvement and Excessive Sequester Spending

Press Release

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis voted against authorizing President Obama to supply, equip, and train approved Syrian rebel groups to defend the Syrian people from attacks by terrorists such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and to secure territory they have seized from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This measure gives authority for the President to send advisers to train the reportedly moderate rebel forces. The vote was to amend a continuing resolution that funds the government at spending levels above sequester through December 11, 2014. Both measures passed the House of Representatives.

"After waiting until the window for opportunity to act on these threats has all but closed, President Obama has requested authority to commit American resources and troops to assist, equip, and train "moderate' Syrian rebels, but this is just one among several bad options we now have," said Rep. Lummis. "The President does not seem to have any conviction that this strategy is the best strategy we have, or even that it is a good strategy at all. Before committing our country to getting involved in another conflict overseas I think the President should have come to Congress looked members in the eye and explained exactly what is the goal of American involvement in Syria, why this option was the right strategy to accomplish that goal, and convinced us that he would follow through to ensure success. If the President cannot convince other branches of his own government, how is he going to convince the Syrian rebels and other countries in the region that his strategy is worth following?"

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