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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

California's Stance On Syria: Representatives, Districts 1-10

Melissah Yang, Ben Kraus, Rachel Scott |
September 10, 2013 | 2:00 p.m. PDT

Senior News Editor, Staff Reporters

Congressional Districts 1-10. (Denise Guerra/Neon Tommy)
Congressional Districts 1-10. (Denise Guerra/Neon Tommy)

Doug LaMalfa (R-Redding) - District 1

While LaMalfa had yet to state an official position on a military strike because of the lack of information. "While I will continue to gather information and receive briefings on the situation, I have serious reservations over the use of military force in this instance," LaMalfa said. He voted against a 2007 ballot question on whether or not the United States should end its occupation and withdraw its troops from the Middle Eastern nation.

Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) - District 2

 No official position was stated by Huffman on the issue of Syria, though he said he was yet to be convinced of any justification for military strikes. "I'm definitely leaning towards 'no'," Huffman said. "We haven't been able to articulate a clear reason for military involvement here."

John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek) - District 3
Garamendi — a member of the House Armed Services Committee — also refrained from revealing how he would vote but was not shy about discussing where he stood. "I'm leaning no for a dozen reasons," Garamendi told The Huffington Post. "It's not at all clear that this bombing could have the effect of restraining Assad, and it could result in weapons becoming available to rebel groups."
Tom McClintock (R-Granite Bay) - District 4
 A likely "no" voter, McClintock stressed any plan for action needed to be carefully thought out and must go through the proper passages before any decisions were made. "If there are facts that compel us to take such a course, let those facts be laid before Congress and let Congress fulfill its rightful constitutional role on the most momentous decision any government can make," McClintock's spokesperson said.
Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) - District 5
 After voting against action in Iraq in 2002, Thompson did not take any position on the looming vote on military strikes in Syria. Thompson's main interest was that a full discussion would lead to the right decision. "I urged the President to reconvene Congress so that we can have a full and vigorous debate on the possible use of military force, and to ensure that an international coalition is part of any response to this apparent chemical weapons attack before a course of action is decided on," Thompson's Facebook page said.
Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) - District 6
 Matsui was undecided on the topic of any attacks on Syria and had not made public on what side of the discussion she lay. But Matsui was a "known confidante of [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi," according to The Washington Post.
Ami Bera (D-Fullerton) - District 7
 Bera was notably undecided on the issue of Syria. Bera still had questions for the president on what the final goal was for his efforts to hold Syrian President Bashar Assad accountable for his actions. "[The administration] has to answer as to what their end game is here," Bera said in an interview with ABC News 10 in Sacramento.
Paul Cook (R-Barstow) - District 8
 Cook, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was undecided on the issue of Syria and issued no statement regarding the matter.
Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) - District 9
 As a representative who had yet to take a position on Syria, McNemey said he did not support unilateral action by the U.S. "The urge to do symbolic bombings or actions like that is counter-productive," McNemey told Fox News.
Jeff Denham (R-Fresno) - District 10
 Denham did not feel the United States was in a good situation to engage in attacks on Syria and was therefore uncertain as to what the proper course of action was. "It is not clear that the appropriate reaction is a military strike led by the United States," Denham said in a newsletter. "With our Armed Forces stretched thin, I am extremely reluctant to see our nation become involved in such a complex and uncertain conflict without further debate and discussion in Congress."


 

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