WASHINGTON — US lawmakers are expected to question Secretary of State John Kerry Tuesday about the Islamic State fightwar, the first step in a complicated process that key members believe will result in a new authorization for the use of military force (AUMF).

Kerry He will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee panel at 2:30 p.m. (EST) Tuesday.

When Kerry last appeared before the panel Senate Foreign Relations Committee about an AUMF tailored for the Islamic State conflict, a major rift among senators developed over language about US ground forces. He will testify before the panel at 2:30 p.m. (EST) Tuesday.

One on side were Kerry and Republicans, arguing against passing a measure that might leave the commander in chief and military brass hamstrung in fighting the violent Sunni group. On the other were Democrats, concerned a lack of such limits might lead to another large-scale US ground war in the Middle East.

Even as lawmakers passionately make their cases at Tuesday's hearing, those that will spearhead the effort to pass America's first new war-authorization measure in 13 years say they are optimistic about passing a major piece of legislation, something the Senate has struggled with in the Obama era.

"I think as long as the White House is willing to take into consideration the concerns of members, there's a way to get there," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said during a recent interview.

"But it's going to take some work," he told CongressWatch. "And it's, you know, admittedly a tough job to strike a balance … that gets you the broad bipartisan support. But I think it's possible."

The panel's new chairman, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., when asked about rifts between members that are too wide to bridge, acknowledged "maybe some have them."

But he declined to predict the outcome of the coming AUMF effort.

"We'll let let the process work," Corker said. "I think the next step ... is to have [administration officials] come in and state rhetorically what the end goal is: to degrade and destroy [the Islamic State]."

Corker said he thinks lawmakers have concerns about "what are the plausible ways forward'? ... We'll have hearings ... and discern that."

The US Army casket team from the Army's 3rd US Infantry Regiment carry the coffin representing the remains of WWII Tuskegee Airman 2nd Lieutenant, Samuel G. Leftenant, missing in action since 1945, at Arlington National cemetery in Arlington, Virginia on January 14, 2016. 2nd Lt. Leftenant crashed on April 12, 1945 while escorting bombers to Sankt Veit, Austria, and was never seen again. / AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDSANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images

The Obama administration last week sent a draft authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) to Capitol Hill that would place limits on US ground forces, allow the executive branch to go after the Islamic State anywhere it deems necessary and limit US operations to three years. It also would sunset the 2002 AUMF for the Iraq war, while leaving a post-9/11 authorization on the books.

Each of those issues has a distinct set of proponents and critics on Capitol Hill, where both chambers eventually would have to approve the same version of an Islamic State AUMF.

One big proponent of what the White House submitted is Senate Armed Services Committee member Bill Nelson, D-Fla. After the administration released its AUMF, Nelson's office quickly issued a statement pointing out it bares a striking resemblance to one he proposed weeks ago.

In a brief interview, Nelson said any points of contention "will eventually be resolved."

"The American people don't want a large, standing army to be in Syria," Nelson said before striking perhaps the sunniest sunny tone in Washington about the prospects for a new AUMF. "I think the clouds will part and the light will come through."

email: jbennett@defensenews.com

Twitter:@bennettjohnt

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