Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Nevada lawmakers react to president’s plan on Islamic extremists

As President Barack Obama laid out his plan in a speech Wednesday to counter increasingly violent Islamic extremists, Nevada's congressional lawmakers listened carefully.

Underscoring the gravity of the situation, their support or opposition to the president's proposed bombing blitz in Iraq and Syria was by not split along party lines. Lawmakers will continue to learn more about Obama's plan for sustained military action in classified briefings today.

Here's what they had to say after the speech:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat

Reid has been the president's biggest supporter in Congress on this issue. He repeated his support for the president's "decisive strategy" on the Senate floor this morning, while calling for his colleagues to rally behind the president by authorizing more money and giving their approval to continue fighting in the region.

But it seems Reid has drawn a line that many in Congress also share on U.S. involvement.

"There are no ground troops, I repeat," he said. "And that's the way it should be."

Sen. Dean Heller, Republican

Heller's initial reaction was less enthusiastic.

In a statement, he said he was "weary" of engaging American troops in another conflict and seemed to predicate his support for the plan on the president building an international coalition to counter the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

"The coalition-building needed must center around Arab states being just as aggressive as we are," he said.

Rep. Dina Titus, Democrat, District 1

Las Vegas' representative avoided expressing support or opposition, simply saying she will ask for more details in today's classified briefing.

"It is important that members of Congress be kept in the loop as we consider providing resources and support for any new initiatives," she said.

Rep. Mark Amodei, Republican, District 2

Northern Nevada's representative was also non-committal, even skeptical, in his statement. He maintained some kind of "meaningful action" against the Islamic State needs to be taken but was not convinced the president's plan met that definition.

"I am to the point where speeches from either side don't hold much sway with me," he said. "I am just sorry that it has taken so long to act, instead of hoping against hope for a better situation in the Middle East."

Rep. Joe Heck, Republican, District 3

Henderson and Boulder City's representative is an Iraq war veteran and Army colonel. Before the speech he tweeted his expectations from the president:

Heck joined Reid as one of the delegation's most supportive members of the plan.

"Tonight the president made clear that he now believes ISIS is no longer the 'JV team' and represents a grave threat," he said. Heck said the president's "multifaceted strategy...if properly executed, can have a decisive impact on the ability of ISIS to wage jihad."

Rep. Steven Horsford, Democrat, District 4

The representative of North Las Vegas and northwestern rural areas also came on as a strong supporter of the president's plan.

"The United States, as a leading world power, will work to form a united coalition to destroy ISIS without putting American boots on the ground," he said in a statement.

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