( CNN ) -- The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee on Wednesday cautioned the United States against engaging with Iran in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria . In an exclusive interview with CNN 's Dana Bash , Sen. Robert Menendez also pushed back against criticism that lawmakers are purposefully holding off on an authorization vote until after Election Day in November . His comments came just minutes before the committee began hearing testimony from Secretary of State John Kerry on the administration 's plan to combat ISIS . Obama , Kerry : No U.S. troops will be sent into combat . Kerry said Monday in Paris that the U.S. would be open to having talks with Iran on how to deal with the group . But Menendez said he has `` a problem '' with directly cooperating with Iran `` because Iran has different goals than we have . '' He added the country has a history of creating `` sectarian divisions of Iraq '' and is `` is one of the patrons of ( Bashar al- ) Assad '' and his regime in Syria . `` I do n't get how we engage with Iran in this context other than to realize that they 're in the theater for their own interests , '' the New Jersey Democrat said . Pelosi stands firm against ground troops before Syrian funding . President Barack Obama said Wednesday the international community and a coalition of at least 40 nations will degrade and defeat the group , which is bent on forming a caliphate from Syria to Iraq , in which strict Islamic law , or Sharia , governs all aspects of life . The House is set to vote on a measure Wednesday to authorize the arming and training of Syrian rebels to help fight ISIS . It is expected to get folded into a bill to fund the government , meaning Congress wo n't vote for it as a stand-alone measure . Bash asked Menendez if he thinks that 's a `` cowardly '' way to approach the situation , as it makes it easier for lawmakers up for re-election to not have to be on the record on a tough vote . `` I get it . And I 'm -- and I 'm ready and willing to -- I voted for a year ago , on this very same committee , to do exactly what we 're doing , maybe for different purposes at the time , it was to defeat Assad , '' he said . `` I 'm ready to cast that vote independently or as part of the ( funding measure ) myself . '' Menendez said he also thinks Congress will authorize the use of military force in the region but he did n't indicate the vote would come before the midterm elections . `` It has nothing to do with the election , '' he said . `` This is all about getting it right , not getting it fast . I do n't want to have another 2001 or 2003 authorization for the use of military force that has been used 13 years later in four different parts of the world . I do n't want to give an open-ended blank check to this or any other president . '' Ahead of Kerry 's testimony Menendez said he wants to hear `` specifics '' about the plan to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria . `` I am convinced we are at war with ISIS , '' he said , adding that he wants to know what `` resources '' the U.S. will use and `` who is playing what senior role '' in the effort . President Obama 's top general said Tuesday it 's not out of the realm of possibility -- if the situation requires it -- that the Pentagon would call for sending ground troops into Iraq to fight the terror group . On Wednesday , Obama reiterated there would be no U.S. ground troops engaging in combat in Iraq . He told service members at U.S. Central Command in Florida that troops `` do not and will not have a combat mission '' to battle ISIS . ISIS has slaughtered swaths of people in both countries , and has beheaded two American journalists and a British aid worker it held in captivity . `` We must be clear-eyed '' about the risk in engaging in a fight against ISIS , Menendez said in his opening remarks shortly after speaking with Bash . `` I want to hear what success looks like [ in Syria and Iraq ] after fighting comes to an end , '' the senator said .
Senate Foreign Relations Chair Menendez says he wants `` specifics '' on plan to fight ISIS . 'We must be clear-eyed ' on the strategy , the Democratic senator from New Jersey says . Secretary of State John Kerry testifyies about administration 's plan to defeat militants .