© 2026 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Washington Congressmembers Mostly Holding Their Fire on Syria Vote

NWNews | By Tom Banse,
Tom Banse
Published September 3, 2013 at 4:21 PM MDT
Architect of the Capitol. The western front of the United States Capitol.

Members of Congress from Washington state are mostly undecided ahead of an expected vote next week to authorize military force against Syria.

Indecision crosses party lines. Republican Congressman Dave Reichert did say in an emailed statement that it's right and proper for President Obama to seek Congressional approval. But he hasn't said how he'll vote.

Freshman Democrats Denny Heck and Derek Kilmer both say they want to carefully review the intelligence before making a decision.

"We cannot engage in military action based on faulty intelligence, the painful lesson of the War in Iraq," added Heck in a prepared statement.

Eastern Washington Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers posted a one question survey on her official website asking constituents how she should vote.

Democrat Rick Larsen went on Facebook to solicit input. The responses so far on his page, hands down, "no war with Syria."

Congressman Jim McDermott has staked out the clearest position in the delegation. The veteran Democrat came out strongly against an air strike on Syria in remarks delivered at a Labor Day picnic in Seattle.

Southwest Washington Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler appears to be leaning against intervention. "Jaime is very skeptical that going to war with Syria is in our nation's best interest," wrote her press secretary Drew Griffin. "She is keeping an open mind and will listen to the case being made by the president in the coming days."

Copyright 2021 Northwest News Network. To see more, visit Northwest News Network.

Northwest News Network
Tom Banse
Tom Banse covers business, environment, public policy, human interest and national news across the Northwest. He reports from well known and out–of–the–way places in the region where important, amusing, touching, or outrageous events are unfolding. Tom's stories can be heard during "Morning Edition," "Weekday," and "All Things Considered" on NPR stations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
See stories by Tom Banse
Tom Banse
Tom Banse covers national news, business, science, public policy, Olympic sports and human interest stories from across the Northwest. He reports from well known and out–of–the–way places in the region where important, amusing, touching, or outrageous events are unfolding. Tom's stories can be found online and heard on-air during "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" on NPR stations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.

Donate