Washington ( CNN ) -- Even as the war against ISIS expands , House Speaker John Boehner said he does n't believe Congress should debate any new authorization for the military operation until next year . In an interview with the New York Times , Boehner said he did n't believe holding a vote in November during the so-called lame-duck session of Congress was appropriate because there is `` a whole group of members who are on their way out the door . '' Boehner delivered that same message to House Republicans in closed-door meetings before the House wrapped up its brief fall session last week , according to a top Boehner aide . `` He believes that having such a consequential debate with members who are either retiring or lost is not the right way to go about it , '' Kevin Smith , Boehner 's communications director , told CNN . The speaker has emphasized on multiple occasions that he does n't believe lame-duck sessions are the right time to tackle major policy debates such as immigration or tax reform . Will U.S. strikes hurt ISIS ' oil riches ? But both Republicans and Democrats have argued that the legal justification that the Obama administration cites to launch action against ISIS -- a 2001 measure passed by Congress to fight al Qaeda and the 2002 Iraq war authorization -- does n't cover the current military action against this terror group . Some members , including Republicans , want Boehner to call the House back into session before the mid-term election to vote on a new authorization . Florida GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen told MSNBC Thursday that it 's time for Congress to return to Washington and take up new legislation focused on the fight against ISIS . `` We are shirking our responsibility by not voting on this , '' she said . Pentagon spokesman on fighting ISIS : ' I think we are in this for a matter of years ' But Boehner , who is on a campaign swing for GOP candidates in New England this week , made it clear he has no plans to do so . The House speaker did tell the Times -- as he said before Congress left for the final stretch before the November mid-term elections -- that he believes it 's important for Congress to `` speak '' on the issue . But he insisted it 's up to the White House to draft and send new language to Capitol Hill . `` I would suggest to you that early next year , assuming that we continue in this effort , there may be that discussion and there may be that request from the President , '' Boehner said . Sen. Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , who could become majority leader if Republicans win control of the Senate in November , did n't have a comment about Boehner 's remarks . But his spokesman Don Stewart told CNN that McConnell `` has said multiple times that the President should present us with a plan and we can vote on that and if it 's a good plan it will have bipartisan support . '' CNN Senior Congressional Producer Ted Barrett contributed to this story .
Debate in House over war authorization likely would n't happen until Thursday . That 's according to Congress Speaker Boehner . Having the debate in a lame-duck session would be inefficient , John Boehner believes .