U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, calls on a constituent during a Tuesday, Sept. 3, town hall on Syria.

(Katy Batdorff | MLive.com)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Federal lawmakers who plan to vote in favor of a U.S. military strike against Syria "might as well start cleaning out" their office, U.S. Rep. Justin Amash said Thursday.

Amash, R-Cascade Township, tweeted that the "unprecedented level of public opposition" to military intervention in the country should beg for dissenting votes.

"If you're voting yes on military action in #Syria, might as well start cleaning out your office," Amash tweeted Thursday afternoon. "Unprecedented level of public opposition."

House and Senate committees already have begun debating President Barack Obama's request that Congress authorize a strike, but broader debate awaits.

Rank-and-file lawmakers like Amash and Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, are expected to have their say the week of Sept. 9, when business resumes after a five-week recess.

Amash garnered national attention for hosting 11 town hall meetings this week to gauge opinion on President Barack Obama's request for Congress to approve a Syria strike.

Related: Justin Amash on Syria: West Michigan 'extremely one-sided' on military strike

The sophomore lawmaker, whose mother was born in Syria, estimated 95 percent of those who turned out at meetings throughout his district were opposed to intervention.

Despite praising the president for asking for congressional approval, Amash has said Obama failed to lay out a compelling argument for a strike.

Obama Administration officials have said unequivocally that Syrian President Bashar Assad used sarin gas to kill more than 1,400 citizens, including more than 400 children.

Amash still was unswayed even after officials laid out their evidence during a classified briefing with lawmakers on Sunday, Sept. 1, in Washington, D.C.

Supporters of a strike contend chemical weapons use on Syrian citizens should not be allowed to go unpunished.

Secretary of State John Kerry and military leaders have made their case for a strike to lawmakers this week.

Related: Syria attack big mistake, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga says

Back in West Michigan, some have taken Amash to task for not supporting a strike. Several questioned his stance during his Tuesday town hall in Grand Rapids.

"A congressman has a duty beyond his local constituents. That's too narrow a focus," Grand Rapids attorney Charles Mishkind said. "If you don't (strike Syria), you embolden the other people. At some point you have to take a stand against things that are uncivilized."

And on Thursday, Ottawa County Democrats chief Doug Zylstra wryly tweeted a reply to Amash's suggesting lawmakers clean out their offices:

"@repjustinamash is now on to the vague threat stage of the Syrian vote.: https://mobile.twitter.com/repjustinamash/status/375697919833157632 …"

Zane McMillin is a government, weather and breaking news reporter for MLive.com and The Grand Rapids Press. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.