U.S. Dems Seek Authority to Equip, Train Syria Rebels

Congressional Democrats were drafting legislation Wednesday that would authorize the U.S. military to equip and train moderate Syrian rebels in an effort to reverse advances by the Islamic State (IS).

Republicans have resisted the move, arguing President Barack Obama was trying to enact a "complicated policy change" without full congressional debate.

Obama was scheduled to address the nation later Wednesday to lay out his plan to defeat the jihadist group that has rampaged across parts of Syria and Iraq, and he has told lawmakers and foreign leaders that equipping and training rebels was part of his strategy.

"It's clear to me that we need to train and equip Syrian rebels and other groups in the Middle East that need some help," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told colleagues.

"The president has tried to get that (authority) from us, and we should give it to him," Reid said.

In late June the White House asked lawmakers for $500 million to train and equip vetted Syrian rebels, in what would be a significant escalation of US involvement in the conflict, following months of pressure from some lawmakers to ramp up US support.

Reid noted that some Republicans remain concerned about the cost, particularly before Obama lays out his strategy, but he stressed that "there is money to do" the training.

Reid and three other congressional leaders including House Speaker John Boehner met with Obama Tuesday in the White House, where the president outlined his strategy.

On Thursday the White House released details of Obama's phone call with Saudi King Abdullah in which "the president and the king agreed on the need for increased training and equipping of the moderate Syrian opposition."

Exactly how the authority for such action would come remained a question.

Lawmakers are hastily cobbling together a temporary spending bill known as a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government at current levels until December, and Democrats want the rebel-training authority to be slotted into that legislation.

"I would hope that it would be on there," top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi told reporters. 

"It's not about money, it's about authorization."

But Republicans, who control the House and its proceedings, are loathe to move forward until Obama lays out his plan.

Republican Hal Rogers, the powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said Obama called him late Tuesday to try and get him to tack the legislation onto the CR. 

Rogers was pushing back.

"I hate to see this attached to a continued resolution at the very last minute," Rogers told reporters. 

"This is a complex, complicated policy change that needs to be fully vetted here in the Congress.