[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 127 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5378-S5379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. INHOFE:
  S.J. Res. 43. A joint resolution to authorize the use of force 
against the organization called the Islamic State in order to defend 
the American people and assist the Iraqi Government in expelling the 
Islamic State from their territory; to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, when you look at what is happening with 
ISIS, we have gone through all kinds of terrorist activities. We all 
know we are in a crisis right now. I am inclined to agree--and I don't 
always agree--with Secretary Hagel, but on the day when he said that 
``ISIS is an imminent threat to every interest we have, whether it is 
in Iraq or anywhere else,'' this is a big deal.
  As America sat back and looked and observed and saw the beheading of 
two Americans, a lot of people said that was an act of war. I found out 
recently that as of yesterday--and it will be announced in the next few 
days that there is a poll that has been conducted, that if we take all 
the problems that are out there that people have been talking about for 
a long period of time, including the borders and all the other issues, 
nothing is even close to ISIS.
  I think it was very interesting that on August 28, just a few days 
ago, the President made the statement, ``We don't have a strategy yet'' 
to deal with ISIS in Syria. If there is not a strategy now, there has 
to be a strategy.
  I am introducing an AUMF resolution for action against ISIS. An AUMF 
is Authorization for Use of Military Force. This is something that 
perhaps the President has anyway--we don't know that--but we have to 
take away the doubt that is out there. Something has to be done. I know 
the President is going to make a speech--I guess it is on Wednesday--
and he may come out with a specific strategy. If he doesn't, he has had 
all the time in the world he needs to do it, and he hasn't done it. My 
AUMF is specific to ISIS. There are other AUMF's dealing with Al Qaeda 
and other things, but to me that just confuses the issue. This has now 
become the No. 1 issue in America, and

[[Page S5379]]

there is no tolerance to continue doing nothing, as we have been doing. 
We need to make sure the President has the authority, and this requires 
the President, within 15 days and then with 90-day updates, to submit 
in writing to Congress a comprehensive strategy to defeat the global 
threat posed by ISIS.
  Keep in mind, it seems as if this President is inclined, anytime 
there is a problem out there, let's drop a bomb here and let's do 
something over there. That is not a strategy. I stated 1 year ago, on 
this same day, that the President cannot continue to operate without a 
clear-cut strategy.
  So the congressional authorization for the President is to use all 
necessary and appropriate force to protect Americans in defending 
national security in the United States against a threat posed by ISIS 
and any successor terrorist organization. It allows the President to 
use all tools available and necessary to defeat ISIS, with flexibility 
to adjust efforts as the terrorist organization evolves. So this is not 
just limited to any boundaries. As you know, there are no boundaries 
with ISIS. It is not just Syria, it is not just Iraq. This is something 
that is spread all over. It is huge, and it is a threat unlike anything 
we have seen in our country before.
  So I am asking my good friends--I have already talked to several 
friends on the Democratic side and the Republican side--to join me, and 
I think hopefully we will be able to do it.
  It is estimated that 12,000 foreign fighters have joined ISIS, about 
2,500 of which hold Western passports to give them easy access. What is 
going to happen is they will come back and be trained terrorists. I 
think that is a major issue that I want to at least have announced.
  I have introduced this resolution. It is out there right now and we 
are going to be asking for support.

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