U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., is one of the leading Republicans in Congress when it comes to international affairs, from her time leading the House Foreign Affairs Committee and now chairing the House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee. Ros-Lehtinen made the media rounds on Thursday night, appearing on CNN and supporting President Barack Obama authorizing airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces in northern Iraq.

From his perch on the U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said he backed President Barack Obamas authorization of strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Northern Iraq.

I am encouraged that American forces are providing humanitarian relief to threatened populations, including Christians and other religious minorities in northern Iraq, Rubio said after Obamas announcement. My thoughts and prayers are with our men and women in uniform who are in harm's way tonight carrying out this mission.