By a 10-7 vote, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed a resolution authorizing the use of military force in Syria.
Seven Democrats voted in favor of the resolution, as did three Republicans. Five Republicans voted against it, joined by two Democrats. One Democrat voted present.
Voting yes: Senators Barbara Boxer, Ben Cardin, Jean Shaheen, Chris Coons, Dick Durbin, Tim Kaine, Robert Menendez, Bob Corker, Jeff Flake, and John McCain.
Voting no: Senators Tom Udall, Chris Murphy, Marco Rubio, Jim Risch, Ron Johnson, John Barasso, and Rand Paul.
Senator Ed Markey voted present.
John McCain had earlier indicated his opposition to the resolution, but after receiving support for an amendment offered with Chris Coons expanding the resolution's authority, McCain decided to vote for it.
The McCain-Coons language noted “absent decisive changes to the present military balance of power on the ground in Syria, sufficient incentives do not yet exist” to force a political settlement of the Syrian civil war. It also reiterated that “it is the policy of the United States to change the momentum on the battlefield in Syria,” urging “a comprehensive U.S. strategy” to not only degrade the regime’s weapons of mass destruction but also to upgrade the military capabilities of “elements of the Syrian opposition.”
The
resolution, which authorizes a 60-day window (plus a 30-day extension) for President Obama to conducted "limited" strikes in Syria focused on deterring and degrading Syria's use of and capacity to use chemical weapons, is expected to come up for a vote in the full senate next week.