Key US Senate Democrat says Democrats oppose 'blank check' for Islamic State fight
The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Wednesday congressional Democrats do not want to give President Barack Obama, or any president, an "open-ended authorization for war, a blank check" for the US campaign against Islamic State militants.
Senator Robert Menendez spoke at a hearing with top administration officials as senators begin considering Obama's request for a formal authorization for the seven-month-old campaign against the group. Obama's request to authorize military force against Islamic State has made little progress since he sent it to Congress a month ago, and may never pass, due largely to opposition from his fellow Democrats.
