As lawmakers in the Congress returned to Capitol Hill from a five week break, members of both parties said it was time to deal with the threat of Islamic State militants, by voting to authorize U.S. military action."ISIS is the issue now," said Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), who argued Americans are ready to focus U.S. military might on Islamic State leaders inside Syria."That's where the head of the snake is," said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), one of the most outspoken Democrats in Congress on the issue.
"The important thing is to give the President unquestioned legal authority to go after them in Syria," Nelson told reporters off the Senate floor.
A number of Republicans agreed, worried that President Obama had been too reserved in the aftermath of twin executions of American journalists held in Syria.
"The President has been over cautious on too many national security issues," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA).
"I think strong action and decisive action by the President would be generally well received," said Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA).
But not all Democrats are on board with an expanded American military action plan in the Mideast, worried this might be a return to the days of the George W. Bush Administration.
"The first lesson of ten years ago is whatever we do, we do it with our allies," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who acknowledged there was a lot of unease among Democratic voters back home.
"Very few of us have any stomach for sending troops," Brown told me.
As for the President, he was set to meet with bipartisan Congressional leaders on Tuesday; the White House on Monday evening read out several calls with world leaders about the Islamic State, all a prelude to a Wednesday speech.
"Both leaders also agreed on the need for a broad coalition to counter the threat posed by the Islamic State," the White House said of an Obama call with the United Nations Secretary General.
But as for details of what the President was aiming at on the Islamic State, the White House was mum on Monday.
"Look, the President and his team are working on the speech as we speak," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest at a briefing.
"I will try to provide at least a little bit greater insight for you and your viewers about what the President intends to talk about on Wednesday," Earnest added.
A new poll out on Tuesday from the Washington Post showed strong bipartisan support for air strikes against Islamic State militants; you could sense that feeling in speaking with lawmakers just back from their summer break - but it still wasn't clear whether the Congress would actually vote on an authorization for the use of military force.
"it's replaced immigration, it's replaced all the other issues," said Inhofe of Oklahoma. "It's number one."
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