Republican U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio says President Obama's plan for action against Islamic State militants has been "overdue," and he wants to see the follow-through for an aggressive, long-term effort. The potential 2016 presidential candidate says he considers the militants more dangerous than other terrorist groups because they're functioning like an army. Portman says Obama has taken "a step in the right direction" by acknowledging the importance of action. But he says there is no need to send troops back to Iraq right now.
Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio says he looks forward to hearing more details. Republican U.S. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio says the President made a compelling case for action, but many questions remain.
The President has announced what he calls a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy, including an expansion of U.S. airstrikes into Syria. He refused to commit U.S. combat troops to Iraq or Syria.