Sen. Tim Kaine's war powers push wins Foreign Relations Committee nod

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent a strong message about the Constitution and the fight against the Islamic State Thursday, joining Sen. Tim Kaine's five-month-long campaign to seek congressional authorization for putting troops in harm's way.

The committee voted 10-8 to authorize the use of military force against the Islamic State forces that have seized large portions of Iraq and Syria, terrorizing opponents and killing those who don't share their religious beliefs.

"I just feel it is immoral to put our people's lives at risk – there've already been three deaths, two Marines and an Air Force captain – it's wrong to put them at risk if we're not going to say yes, this is a mission we believe we need to do," Kaine said after the committee vote.

Kaine has argued for months that the Constitution is clear that Congress must approve military action against the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. But from his first days in the Senate, he has argued that laws governing presidential war powers need to be tighter and clearer.

"I speak for myself and I certainly speak for Virginians," Kaine told his fellow committee members during Thursday's debate. "It's necessary for us to do our job after more than four months of basically a unilateral war."

Voting for the authorization tells American troops the nation is with them – and it tells Islamic State the same thing, Kaine said.

Kaine believes the committee's vote last year to authorize the use of force in Syria, even though the full Senate never took up the measure, led Syria to agree to surrender its chemical weapons.

The committee's Islamic State authorization includes two key provisions Kaine has sought. One says the United States will not send ground troops except to protect or rescue U.S. personnel, gather intelligence, plan operations or direct air strikes. The other sets a three-year time limit on the authorization unless Congress extends it.

Kaine said there are still divisions between those who agree with him that authorizing the use of ground troops now is a bad idea and those who would like to keep the option open.

"There's a good, healthy debate on this," he said.

And while the committee vote split on party lines, Kaine said the tone of the debate and the issues raised mean the change of control of the Senate next month won't derail the effort to win formal congressional authorization.

"The committee speaks with a powerful voice," he said.

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