Fri June 3, 2011
The Two-Way

House Demands Obama Explain Libya Mission's Rationale

By a 268-145 vote, the House just approved a resolution that, as The Associated Press puts it, chastises President Obama for failing to provide Congress with a "compelling rationale" for the military action underway in Libya.

The measure was put forward by the GOP, and passed with 223 votes from Republicans and 45 from Obama's fellow Democrats.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and other supporters of the measure argue that Obama has ignored Congress' constitutional authority to declare war and the 1973 War Powers Resolution that requires congressional authorization with 60 days of any such military action.

As the AP adds, the action comes nearly three months after the U.S. and its launched air strikes against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.

Another resolution, sponsored Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), was defeated by a vote of 265-148. It demanded an end to U.S. participation in the campaign within 15 days.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest has called the resolutions "unnecessary and unhelpful," and the administration makes the case that it has consulted with leading lawmakers as the Libyan mission has evolved.
