House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today

on U.S. airstrikes in Syria:

"Tonight's airstrikes, launched in response to the horrific atrocity of the use of chemical weapons, are not a sufficient answer on their own to the challenge posed by the civil war in Syria and the Assad regime's war crimes. President Trump must follow them with the presentation of a clear and coherent strategy and the articulation of what discernible goals these strikes were meant to advance. It would be a disservice to the outstanding men and women of our Armed Forces who carried out these strikes if the President neglects to do so. To date, President Trump has not provided a strategy; rather, he has sent mixed signals to the Assad regime, to its Russian and Iranian backers, and to the world about what the path forward must be in Syria. This week's chemical weapons attack demanded a response, and the White House must work closely with Congress in the days and weeks ahead to determine what strategy ought to be pursued and authorized by Congress to end the Syrian conflict in a way that restores stability, protects human rights, and denies ISIS a base of operations from which to threaten America and the world."