Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after the passage of the continuing resolution to fund the federal government, which included a provision that expires in three months authorizing the Administration to train and equip vetted anti-ISIL fighters. The bill passed the Senate 78-22.
“I voted today to allow the President to begin implementing his comprehensive plan to aggressively fight the brutal terrorist group ISIL without sending American combat troops back to the region. This authority expires in three months, guaranteeing our ability in Congress to reexamine the strategy and assess progress before the end of the year.
“In the weeks and months ahead, I plan to continue evaluating the Administration’s assurances regarding this proposed action, specifically that the anti-ISIL forces we would be training and equipping are truly vetted. The Administration must work to prevent our weapons from getting into the hands of those who seek to do us harm and must do everything possible to ensure that we do not train individuals who would go on to commit human rights violations. As the strategy is implemented, I will keep asking the Administration tough questions to make sure that the mission and goals are clear, the endgame is articulated, and the operations being proposed will truly keep our country safe over the long term.”
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