Boozman, Pryor vote yes to fund Syria fighters' training, gear

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Mark Pryor supported a measure Thursday to fund training and equipment for Syrians fighting against the Islamic State and to continue funding the U.S. government until mid-December.

The resolution passed the Senate on Thursday evening by a 78- 22 vote. The House passed the resolution Wednesday evening. Neither chamber is scheduled to meet again until mid-November.

The resolution funds government operation from the beginning of the federal fiscal year on Oct. 1 through Dec. 11, avoiding any change of a shutdown in the weeks before the November election.

It also allows the secretary of defense to train and equip Syrian fighters using existing funds and requires detailed reports on President Barack Obama's plan to combat Islamic State fighters, how the Syrian fighters are vetted and how the equipment is monitored.

The Islamic State rose in prominence in midsummer, when its fighters seized several Iraqi cities and killed two American journalists.

Boozman, R-Ark., said Congress will have a chance in mid-December to re-evaluate whether the plan to arm and equip Syrians is working.

He added that Obama should have asked Congress to approve his entire plan, which includes air strikes in Iraq and Syria, because there are questions about what the president can legally do without Congressional approval.

"If there is a gray area, then why not ask Congress?" Boozman said.

Boozman said having congressional approval would show the Islamic State as well as U.S. allies that the country supports the president's plan.

"It's really important that we show the country, we show the world, that we're together on this," Boozman said.

Pryor, D-Ark., said in a statement that the Islamic State presents a clear and growing danger that needs to be destroyed.

"I still have reservations about the train and equip program. However, unlike previous versions of this proposal, this resolution includes new and enhanced accountability measures. These safeguards, along with our regional allies on the ground, will help ensure U.S. equipment is used effectively to fight extremists," he said.

The U.S. Senate campaign of U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., quickly criticized Pryor's vote, saying it went against an attempt Pryor made two months ago to block $500 million in the Defense Department's annual spending bill to provide military training and equipment to Syrian rebels.

"Two months ago, Senator Pryor laid out his principles on arming the Syrian rebels with an amendment that would prohibit any funding from going to train or arm them," Cotton spokesman David Ray said. "But [Thursday], when President Obama asked him to change his vote, Pryor folded like a cheap lawn chair and authorized the same funding he once led the charge to block."

Pryor said at the time of the earlier vote that he was concerned the resources would end up in the hands of extremists.

On Thursday night, Pryor's deputy campaign manager, Erik Dorey, said the bill approved by the Senate includes accountability features and safeguards to monitor who gets the training and equipment -- measures that were not in the July funding that Pryor opposed. Dorey said the accountability measures were included in Thursday's resolution in part because of Pryor's concerns.

"While Mark Pryor continues to be a responsible voice in the room, Congressman Cotton, playing knee jerk politics and flatly misleading Arkansans, should come as a surprise to precisely no one," Dorey said.

Metro on 09/19/2014

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