WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday easily approved controversial legislation requested by President Barack Obama to allow the training and arming of moderate Syrian rebels in their fight against Islamic State militants.
Senate passage, by a vote of 73-22, came a day after approval by the House of Representatives. The Senate legislation also temporarily keeps the government running in the fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1 and reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank through June 2015.
The bill now goes to Obama for signing into law.