Story highlights
CNN's Reality Check team spent the night putting the GOP candidates' statements and assertions to the test
The team of reporters, researchers and editors across CNN selected key statements and rated them: True; Mostly True; True, but Misleading; False; or It's Complicated
The Republican candidates for president gathered in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday for their last debate before the first votes of the 2016 primary season are cast, and CNN’s Reality Check team spent the night putting their statements and assertions to the test.
The team of reporters, researchers and editors across CNN selected key statements and rated them: True; Mostly True; True, but Misleading; False; or It’s Complicated.
Jeb Bush
Reality Check: Bush on authorization of force against ISIS
By Kate Grise, CNN
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said the Senate did not give President Barack Obama the authorization he asked for to use military force against ISIS.
“We shouldn’t have the warfighters have their arms tied behind their back as President Obama wanted to do, but they had a chance to show support and it wasn’t popular at the time,” Bush said.
Last February, the White House proposed a resolution which asked Congress to authorize the “limited use of the United States Armed Forces” to fight ISIS alongside the anti-ISIS coalition, but did not go so far as to authorize putting American soldiers on the ground.
Neither the Senate nor the House brought the resolution up for a vote – and it is still sitting on Capitol Hill.
Last month, the President once again called upon Congress to vote on his resolution.
“If Congress believes, as I do, that we are at war with ISIL, it should go ahead and vote to authorize the continued use of military force against these terrorists,” he said, using an another term for ISIS.
It should be noted that the actions that the President’s resolution would legalize were already underway and will continue whether or not Congress votes on this draft.
We rate Bush’s claim as true because Congress did not bring the resolution up for a vote.
