President Barack Obama plans to seek congressional approval for the use of force in Syria. Here's where members of North Carolina's delegation stand on the issue.
Richard Burr
U.S. Senate
Phone: 202-224-3154
Statement: "Short of putting troops on the ground, it is time for the United States and our NATO allies to take necessary, punitive military action against the Syrian regime and send a clear signal to its leadership, and others in the region who may be contemplating using weapons of this nature, that there are consequences for these actions."
Kay Hagan
U.S. Senate
Phone: 202-224-6342
Statement: "I believe seeking Congressional authority is the appropriate way forward. Without putting American troops on the ground, the atrocities in Syria require a strong response that will prevent them from happening again and ensure that Syria's chemical weapons stockpile does not fall into the hands of terrorists and further destabilize the Middle East."
Renee Ellmers
N.C. 2nd Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-4531
Statement: "I see nothing but hardship, danger, and unprovoked sacrifice on the shoulders of our military, our troops, and their families. For these and many other reasons which have been echoed by my constituents, I cannot support military action against Syria at this time."
G.K. Butterfield
N.C. 1st Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-3101
Statement: "I’m deeply troubled by the Assad Regime’s use of chemical weapons on innocent civilians in Syria. As a Member of Congress, authorizing the use of military force is one of our most important responsibilities and it should not be taken lightly. This situation deserves careful consideration and I look forward to a thorough debate in the Congress."
Walter Jones
N.C. 3rd Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-3415
Statement: "For too long, the legislature’s responsibility to authorize military force has been overlooked. It is time that we uphold the Constitution, which makes it clear in Article 1, Section 8 that Congress alone holds the power to declare war."
David Price
N.C. 4th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-1784
Statement: "The use of chemical weapons to attack civilians is a moral outrage. The Assad regime's heinous acts violate both our international laws and our human conscience and demand a response, both because of the suffering they have inflicted on the Syrian people and because of the precedent that inaction would set for the international community. ... I applaud the President for seeking approval from Congress even though he is not legally required to do so, and I will insist any resolution hold the Administration to its promise that retaliation will not be a prelude to American boots on the ground."
Virginia Foxx
N.C. 5th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-2071
Statement: "The onus is on the President to make the case to Congress and to the American people for his desired military response and answer why he believes it is in the United States’ national interest to involve itself in Syria’s ongoing violence. As always, my vote on the matter will be based on a careful evaluation of the facts presented by the President and on the actual legislative text we are asked to approve."
Mike McIntyre
N.C. 7th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-2731
Statement: "The recent actions in Syria raise very serious concerns regarding the use of chemical weapons, and it is appropriate that any potential military response be discussed with and debated by Congress. As this debate moves forward, the important question to be answered is whether our involvement in a foreign country's civil war meets the threshold of endangering our own national security."
Howard Coble
N.C. 6th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-3065
Statement: "I am leaning towards voting against the use of any American military assets against Syria for several reasons. First, the costs of even a limited action will be enormous, and we cannot afford it. ... Second, it appears that if we pursue this course, we will be going it alone. ... Third, it appears we will be a day late and dollar short in taking any meaningful action against the Assad regime."
Mel Watt
N.C. 12th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-1510
Statement: None
Richard Hudson
N.C. 8th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-3715
Statement: None
Robert Pittenger
N.C. 9th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-1976
Statement: "As Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, Congressman Pittenger is focused on containing and neutralizing Syria’s large stockpile of chemical weapons and keeping these heinous weapons out of the hands of Al Qaida, Hezbollah, and Hamas. While limited military action may be necessary following the recent use of chemical weapons by the Syrian military, Congressman Pittenger and his colleagues feel President Obama should first consult with Congress and our allies to ensure the action is targeted, surgical, and doesn’t draw the United States military into the Syrian civil war."
Patrick McHenry
N.C. 10th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-2576
Statement: None
Mark Meadows
N.C. 11th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-6401
Statement: None
George Holding
N.C. 13th Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-3032
Statement: "The President, in his Rose Garden speech, talked about 'limited military action' and a 'no boots on the ground' strategy. But one hard fact is that limited military actions have spun out of control before. And another hard fact is no one knows the consequences of an attack on Syria. And we'd be foolish to ignore the risks. ... . The decision to attack Syria boils down to a series of blunt questions: What abiding American interest makes an attack on another country unavoidable? Is there a justification for putting American lives in danger? What are the consequences of an attack? We are now rightly going to debate these questions in Congress and, before I can consider voting for any military action, I am going to have to hear some convincing answers."
