WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, today released the following statement on President Obama’s remarks outlining his plan to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL):
“Tonight’s presidential address to the nation is a key moment in our continued fight against the terrorism that came to our shores thirteen years ago tomorrow. The Islamist jihad waged against the west by the group calling themselves ISIL is as much of a threat to our nation as Osama bin Laden was. They continue to recruit and train citizens around the globe to their warped ideology and if we don’t confront this evil now, it is only a matter of time until they conduct an attack in the west or on our shores.
“This fight is not over or diminished, and it is time to take the fight seriously. The past few years, the president and his administration have not wanted to face the reality of the growing threat in Syria. As we watched events unfold there and in Iraq, the president remained unconvinced of the urgency to deal with ISIL. Tonight the president seemed to have faced reality.
“As the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, I have a responsibility to help ensure our security and intelligence measures are ready to detect and prevent another 9/11 attack. I intend to work closely with my fellow members of Congress and the administration to protect our citizens and our way of life.”
