On Thursday night, with a 78-22 vote, the Senate approved President Obama's plan to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels to fight against ISIS.
The proposal was added as an amendment to a spending bill that will keep the government operating on Oct. 1, the beginning of a new fiscal year, Reuters reports. Following the vote, Obama said he was glad that a majority of Democrats and Republicans supported the legislation. "I believe we're strongest as a nation when the president and Congress work together," he said.
Supporters included 44 Democrats, 33 Republicans, and one Independent, while nine Democrats, 12 Republicans, and one Independent opposed the plan.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told Reuters that while she voted for the bill, she would like to see Congress have a full debate over how to stop ISIS. "I'm concerned that the fighters that we train will be focused on what really motivates them, which is removing [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad, not fighting ISIS," she said.