Bill would grant war powers to fight Islamic State militants

WASHINGTON - The top Democrat on the House intelligence committee is backing an effort to authorize President Barack Obama's war against Islamic State militants, saying Congress should not wait to see if the White House sends over its blueprint of what it should say.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff planned to introduce a bill Wednesday. In the US battle against IS, Obama has been relying on congressional authorizations that President George W. Bush used to justify military action after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Critics say the White House's use of post-9/11 congressional authorizations is a legal stretch, at best.