On Wednesday, September 17th the House authorized, 273-156, U.S. training and arming of MODERATE Syrian rebels to fight the militant group known as the Islamic State. On Thursday, September 18th the Senate, voting 73-22 joined the House in passing a stopgap funding measure for the first 10 weeks of fiscal 2015 that authorizes U.S. support of Syrian rebels fighting Islamic State forces. This sends HJ Resolution 124 to President Obama for his signature.
      Washington, D.C., will continue to keep its doors open, as the House of Representatives and the Senate approved the latest continuing resolution to fund President Obama’s dysfunctional government.

So, let us understand.
The linchpin of President Obama's strategy to defeat (or is it degrade? Manage?) the Islamic State is to train and arm "vetted moderate Islamist" rebels in Syria. The idea is that by arming these rebels, the U.S. can create a dependable ground force that will take the fight to the Islamic State in Syria. I dissent from this strategy, as I do not believe it is wise to send weapons to Islamist fighters, whether "moderate" or not.
What, exactly, is a vetted moderate Islamist? The amendment passed by Congress allows virtually any Islamist fighter to be armed so long as the fighter is not a member of a designated terrorist organization, such as ISIS, Jabhat al Nusra (Al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate), or Ahrar Al Sham. This means that the Obama administration could arm fighters affiliated with groups such as a Harakat Al Hazm (which is reportedly a Muslim Brotherhood proxy), the Syrian Revolutionaries Front (which has conducted joint operations with Al Nusra) and the Army of the Mujahideen (which has declared that has no desire to fight the "brothers" of Al Nusra).
Even supporters of the amendment seemed to concede that weapons could go to Islamist fighters with terrorist ties. The Hill reported that “the bill would not prohibit people with links to terrorist groups from actually participating in the program, the aide said. Such a blanket prohibition could make it tougher to recruit people for the training program.”
Why should we be providing U.S weapons to these mujahideen fighters? Mujahideen fighters in Syria are not moderates, nor are they pro-American. They will take our arms and then use them as they see fit, not to vindicate our interests.
You cannot subcontract out American national security to fighters aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. Half measures will not suffice – there are no shortcuts when it comes to our national security.
It is also very disappointing that Congress did nothing to protect the American people against the infiltration into our country of ISIS fighters who possess U.S. citizenship or passports from western nations. These terrorists must be kept out of our country, plain and simple. Any American who joins ISIS should have his passport canceled and citizenship revoked.

While this is a DONE DEAL it is important that we let our House and Senate elected officials know how we feel about their votes. They need to know that even if the Primary elections are behind us WE ARE WATCHING AND WE HAVE NOT GONE AWAY.

ACTION ITEM #1

HOUSE VOTES:
Contact either via phone or email Representatives DeSantis and Yoho and thank them for their NO vote and for standing on not only their beliefs but those of so many Americans who do not support putting weapons or money in the hands of known terrorists who may well turn them on us in the future.
District 3 Rep. Ted Yoho, FAX (202) 225-2256 – Phone (202) 225-5744 or (904) 276-9626
Complete email form at https://yoho.house.gov/contact/email-me
District 6 Rep. Ron DeSantis, FAX (202) 226-6299 – Phone (202) 225-2706 or (904) 827-1101 or Port Orange (386) 756-9798
Complete email form at: https://desantis.house.gov/contact/email-me

ACTION ITEM#2

Then we have: REPUBLICAN - ANDER CRENSHAW who once again voted with the Democrats and will tell us that he is for America and always watching for our fiscal stability. Last but never not least is Corrine Brown who voted YES…As we would expect.

District 5 Rep. Corrine Brown, FAX (202) 225-2256 – Phone (202) 225-0123 or (904) 954-1652
Complete email form at https://forms.house.gov/corrinebrown/webforms/contact-me.shtml

District 4 Rep. Ander Crenshaw, FAX (202) 225-2504 – Phone (202) 225-2501 or (904) 598-0481
Complete email form at https://forms.house.gov/write/crenshaw/email-me.shtml

Moving to the SENATE VOTES:

Both Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson voted YES in support of the Resolution.

ACTION ITEM#3

Contact Senators Marco Rubio (R) and Bill Nelson (D) and let them know of your disappointment and concerns.

US Sen. Marco Rubio, FAX (202) 228-5171 – Phone (202) 224-3041 or (904) 398-8586
Complete an email form at http://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-senator-rubio?p=...
US Sen. Bill Nelson, FAX (202) 228-2183 – Phone (202) 224-5274 or (904) 346-4500
Complete an email form at http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1. If you want to read HJ Resolution 124 and look at all of the additional funding included you can click on the link below. As usual there is a long list of items on which we are funding in addition to the support of SYRIAN REBELS.
http://www.rpc.senate.gov/legislative-notices/h-j-res-124_continuin...

2. Watch Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan and Rep. Ron DeSantis during an interview on their issues for supporting/not supporting the Resolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS8zOk2FDgM&feature=youtu.be

3. Listen to Rep. Ron DeSantis speak prior vote on the House floor on Sept. 17th http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d95nnOAPXrw

4. But three of the most charismatic and potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates, Senators Ted Cruz (TX), Rand Paul (KY), and Marco Rubio (R), are not on the same page with the current CR.
Because the measure somewhat addresses the ISIL threat in Syria, Rubio voted for the CR because he believes it is “in the best interest of our national security.”
Both Cruz and Paul voted against the measure.
(Most interesting is listing to Senator Rubio in his own words defend his vote to fund the rebels. Then to list to Senator Ted Cruz describe his NO vote.)

Cruz said that the CR was not in the best interest of the country, and that it only served to “empower a lawless president to continue his plans that threaten the economy and our national security.”

Senator Marco Rubio/ The Shark Tank
“I say this to you without a shadow of a doubt, as I said weeks ago: if we do not confront and defeat ISIL now, we will have to do so later. And it will take a lot longer; it will be much costlier and even more painful. We will confront ISIL one way or the other, and I believe the sooner the better. What we are asked to do now is approve funding to arm moderate rebel elements in Syria. There is no guarantee of success. There is none. But there is a guarantee of failure if we do not even try. And try we must. For one fundamental reason – if we fail to approve this, the nations of that region will say that America’s not truly engaged, that Americans are willing to talk about this, but are not willing to do anything about it.
“And so despite my concerns about the underlying bill and the budgeting that it entails, I will support this resolution. Because I think it’s in the best interest of our national security.”-Sen. Marco Rubio (R)

Senator Ted Cruz/ SHARK TANK
"I cannot vote to empower our lawless president to continue his plans that threaten the economy and our national security,” said Sen. Cruz. “The Continuing Resolution funds Obama’s Amnesty, it funds Obamacare, and it funds military operations in Syria that are not authorized by Congress and are dependent on unreliable actors in the region.”

“I have offered several amendments to make America more free, strong, and safe, but the sad fact of the matter is that Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid’s do-nothing Senate refuses even to allow vote on them.”

“Given that this Continuing Resolution does nothing to secure the border, give Americans any relief from Obamacare, or commit President Obama to a clear strategy against ISIS that protects U.S. interests, I cannot in good conscience vote for the Continuing Resolution,” said Sen. Cruz. “It is my fervent hope that Americans will speak loud and clear in the next few months, elect a new Senate majority, and give the new Congress a strong mandate to reverse the disastrous decline orchestrated by President Obama and the Senate Democrats.”-Sen Ted Cruz (R)

For those outside the areas mention above find your Representatives and Senator’s by clicking on the link below:
http://www.wrhammons.com/the-113th-congress.htm

As Always thank you for your action in contacting our elected officials. It is good to let those who stand on the values that got them elected that we appreciate their efforts. It is also good to let those who voted in opposition to the voice of the people and let them know that we are still here and we are watching.
God Bless you and may God Bless our America.
Leanne