WASHINGTON (AP) – The House on Wednesday rejected a bipartisan effort to force President Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq and Syria by the end of the year.
The measure was defeated, 288-139. It would have directed that troops be withdrawn within 30 days of passage, or by the end of the year if Obama determines an immediate withdrawal is not safe.
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said the resolution was needed to “force Congress to do its job” and vote on whether to formally authorize military action against Islamic State militants. Obama requested such a resolution in February, but it has stalled in Congress.
“If we are going to invest a generation or more of our blood and our treasure in this war, and if we’re going to continue to tell our armed forces that we expect them to fight and die in these wars, it seems to me the least we can do is stand up and vote to authorize these wars – or we should end them,” McGovern said in a fiery speech on the House floor.
McGovern, who co-sponsored the resolution with Reps. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said lawmakers owe it to the American people to vote on a war resolution.