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| Kerry Warns Senate Against Curbs on Fighting ISIS | Kerry Warns Senate Against Curbs on Fighting ISIS |
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| WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry asked Congress on Tuesday not to “bind the hands” of President Obama as lawmakers considered setting limits on the nature and extent of the military campaign against the Islamic State. | WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry asked Congress on Tuesday not to “bind the hands” of President Obama as lawmakers considered setting limits on the nature and extent of the military campaign against the Islamic State. |
| Mr. Kerry made his request in testimony before an unusual session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is expected to vote this week on whether to curtail the American engagement in the Middle East. | Mr. Kerry made his request in testimony before an unusual session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is expected to vote this week on whether to curtail the American engagement in the Middle East. |
| “None of us can imagine all of the circumstances that may arise,” Mr. Kerry told the committee, making the administration’s case that any war powers authorization approved by Congress needs greater flexibility than many members seem ready to allow. | “None of us can imagine all of the circumstances that may arise,” Mr. Kerry told the committee, making the administration’s case that any war powers authorization approved by Congress needs greater flexibility than many members seem ready to allow. |
| Mr. Kerry, who said that any congressional resolution should contain no geographic limitations, was clear that the administration would not accept any authorization that it believed was too circumscribed. In addition, he said the administration would not agree to anything that ruled out the use of ground troops, even though Mr. Obama had repeatedly said he did not plan to use them for combat. | Mr. Kerry, who said that any congressional resolution should contain no geographic limitations, was clear that the administration would not accept any authorization that it believed was too circumscribed. In addition, he said the administration would not agree to anything that ruled out the use of ground troops, even though Mr. Obama had repeatedly said he did not plan to use them for combat. |
| The administration would not accept the one-year limit that some lawmakers are proposing, but it would be open to an authorization that expires in three years, Mr. Kerry said. | The administration would not accept the one-year limit that some lawmakers are proposing, but it would be open to an authorization that expires in three years, Mr. Kerry said. |
| The issue of authorizing force came to a head in the Senate last week when the Foreign Relations Committee unexpectedly agreed to hold a vote before Congress adjourns, thrusting the contentious question of war powers and constitutional authority into the end-of-year crunch on legislative work on Capitol Hill. | The issue of authorizing force came to a head in the Senate last week when the Foreign Relations Committee unexpectedly agreed to hold a vote before Congress adjourns, thrusting the contentious question of war powers and constitutional authority into the end-of-year crunch on legislative work on Capitol Hill. |
| Though the White House believes it has the legal authority to continue carrying out an assault on the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, it has agreed to ask Congress for its approval. | |
| As Mr. Kerry detailed the limits of what the administration was willing to accept, he also urged the committee to work together toward a bipartisan agreement so it would not appear that Americans were divided heading into what was expected to be a long and sustained military campaign. | As Mr. Kerry detailed the limits of what the administration was willing to accept, he also urged the committee to work together toward a bipartisan agreement so it would not appear that Americans were divided heading into what was expected to be a long and sustained military campaign. |
| “This is one of the moments when a bipartisan approach really is critical,” said Mr. Kerry, who was a chairman of the committee when he was a senator. “It is important that this committee lead the Congress and the country. And I think you know I believe that.” | “This is one of the moments when a bipartisan approach really is critical,” said Mr. Kerry, who was a chairman of the committee when he was a senator. “It is important that this committee lead the Congress and the country. And I think you know I believe that.” |
| Because Congress has so little time to act before it adjourns for the year, the debate over war powers is certain to spill over into next year, when Republicans will control both the House and the Senate. | Because Congress has so little time to act before it adjourns for the year, the debate over war powers is certain to spill over into next year, when Republicans will control both the House and the Senate. |
| Yet it already is clear that the debate will be shaped by some powerful external political forces. Two members of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, and Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, are considering running for their party’s presidential nomination in 2016. Their views could not be more different. | Yet it already is clear that the debate will be shaped by some powerful external political forces. Two members of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, and Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, are considering running for their party’s presidential nomination in 2016. Their views could not be more different. |
| Mr. Rubio, who has a more traditional Republican belief that the American military should have a robust global presence, said he believed that many in the committee were trying to “micromanage military tactics.” | Mr. Rubio, who has a more traditional Republican belief that the American military should have a robust global presence, said he believed that many in the committee were trying to “micromanage military tactics.” |
| That was a direct shot at senators like Mr. Paul, who have introduced proposals that would limit the authorization of force against the Islamic State to one year before the president has to come back to Congress and that would rule out the use of ground forces except in very specific circumstances like the capture of a high-value target. | That was a direct shot at senators like Mr. Paul, who have introduced proposals that would limit the authorization of force against the Islamic State to one year before the president has to come back to Congress and that would rule out the use of ground forces except in very specific circumstances like the capture of a high-value target. |
| At issue for many of the members of the committee is the belief that the administration has stretched its legal authorization to continue fighting in the Middle East beyond reasonable bounds. | At issue for many of the members of the committee is the belief that the administration has stretched its legal authorization to continue fighting in the Middle East beyond reasonable bounds. |
| “Congress, rather than the executive, has the responsibility and the authority to authorize military action and to declare war,” said Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey and the committee’s chairman. “We are the check and balance on executive power, regardless of who that executive is. And if we abandon that role, then we will have done a grave disservice to the American people.” | “Congress, rather than the executive, has the responsibility and the authority to authorize military action and to declare war,” said Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey and the committee’s chairman. “We are the check and balance on executive power, regardless of who that executive is. And if we abandon that role, then we will have done a grave disservice to the American people.” |