[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5764]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                 SYRIA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, last evening the Vice President 
notified me of the President's decision to respond to the Syrian 
regime's use of chemical weapons against its own people through 
military action. The action was taken to deter the Assad regime from 
using chemical weapons again.
  I support both the action and the objective. The planning of this 
operation was clearly well considered. It was taken against the Shayrat 
airfield from which the aircraft used in the attack had been launched, 
where chemical weapons had been stored, and was taken against assets of 
importance to the regime--aircraft, hardened shelters, and air defense 
systems.
  In the days ahead, I am committed to working with the administration 
to continue developing a counter-ISIL strategy that hastens the defeat 
of ISIL and establishes objectives for dealing with the Assad regime in 
a manner that preserves the institutions of government in an effort to 
prevent a failed state.
  Our gratitude goes out to the world's most capable military, which in 
a span of just hours presented options, capabilities, and plans to the 
Commander in Chief and then executed a difficult mission. None of this 
occurs without years of training, investment, and the dedication by our 
servicemembers.
  This was an action of consequence. It is a clear signal from America 
that Bashar al-Assad can no longer use chemical weapons against his own 
people with impunity.
  In addition, for the attention of all Senators, we will have a 
briefing on this matter later today.

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