McCain talks to the media after meeting Obama
McCain talks to the media after meeting ObamaReuters

Senator John McCain warned on Monday that a vote by Congress against President Barack Obama's proposal for using military force in Syria would be catastrophic.

"If the Congress were to reject a resolution like this after the president of the United States has already committed to action, the consequences would be catastrophic," McCain told reporters after meeting Obama at the White House, according to Reuters.

McCain, a Republican, said he was encouraged by the meeting but added that there was "a long way to go" to get the resolution passed.

McCain said that he and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who participated in the meeting with Obama as well, favored changes in the president’s resolution that would broaden it to make it more than just a response to the use of chemical weapons by the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

"We do want an articulation of a goal that over time will degrade Bashar Al-Assad's capabilities, increase and upgrade the capabilities of the Free Syrian Army and the Free Syrian Government so they can increase the momentum on the battlefield," McCain said.

"We appreciate the president meeting with us. We had a candid exchange of views and I think we have found some areas that we can work together. But we have a long way to go," he added.

Obama announced on Saturday that he plans to wait for Congress' approval before deciding whether to intervene in Syria.

McCain has long been a vocal opponent of Obama's policy on Syria and has several times called on the president to take action in the civil war in Syria.