US leaders discuss response to Syrian chemical weapons use

Senior Obama administration officials Thursday evening held an unclassified phone call with US congressional leaders and the chairpersons and ranking members of national security committees to brief them and seek their input on the US response to the Assad regimes use of chemical weapons near Damascus on August 21, the White House announced. The action on the issue followed a call made by President Barack Obama with House and Senate leaders over the last day. They built on extensive Cabinet member outreach to Congress over the past week, the White House said in a statement released Thursday night. "The views of Congress are important to the Presidents decision-making process, and we will continue to engage with members as the President reaches a decision on the appropriate US response to the Syrian governments violation of international norms against the use of chemical weapons," the statement said. Senior administration officials participating in the call on Thursday included National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Vice Chairwoman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sandy Winnefeld. The call lasted 90 minutes, and 15 members of Congress asked questions of the assembled administration officials, the White House said.