House Dem prods Boehner on ISIS war authorization

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Wednesday urged House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to move forward on an authorization for use of military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria despite a stalemate with the White House.

“I don’t know why we should be waiting for another draft from the White House when we have the full power to make up our own draft,” Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, told The Hill.

Congress’ efforts to pass an AUMF have stalled, nine months into the U.S.-led military campaign against ISIS. The recent fall of Ramadi, a key Iraqi city, has renewed scrutiny of the president’s strategy against the terrorist group. 

{mosads}The White House sent over an AUMF request in February, but both parties have rejected it.

The request would authorize force against ISIS for three years, cancel the 2002 AUMF for the Iraq War and ban “enduring offensive ground combat operations.”

In general, Republicans say it would add too many limits on the use of force, and Democrats worry it would not add enough. 

Tensions between the White House and Boehner erupted on Tuesday, after the House leader called on the White House to “start over” and send a new AUMF, prompting the White House to fire back.

“Congress has been AWOL on the AUMF,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “At some point, it has to be responsibility of the Speaker of the House to do his job.” 

Schiff said he hoped Congress would move forward on an AUMF anyway.

“I think it’s a terrible abdication of our responsibility and I hope the speaker will reconsider,” he said.  

However, he added he was “not very optimistic at this point” that Congress would pass one.

His comments echoed ones made earlier in the day by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Foreign Relations Committee ranking member. 

“I think it’s a very tough road,” Cardin told reporters at a breakfast.