Lawmakers Demand Explanation From White House as Libya War Deadline Arrives

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

The deadline for President Obama to secure congressional authorization for the military operation in Libya went whizzing by Friday without such a vote, fueling lawmakers' concerns that the administration was flouting the law, but the White House insisted it was on solid legal footing.

The concerns stem from provisions in the 1973 War Powers Resolution. The resolution, passed in defiance of then-President Nixon at the tail end of the Vietnam War, states that presidents must seek congressional approval to keep U.S. forces in hostilities for more than two months. Friday was the 60th day of U.S. involvement in the U.N.-backed military intervention in Libya.

Asked about the requirements in the law, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney cited the president's ongoing consultation with Congress and claimed his actions "have been and are consistent with the War Powers Resolution." He said the White House would continue to consult with Congress, adding that the administration would "welcome an expression of support" from lawmakers.

But sporadic attempts to cobble together language in support of U.S. intervention so far have not yielded a firm resolution in Congress. The House wasn't even in session this week.

Obama sent a letter to Congress Friday, prodding lawmakers to pass a resolution, while downplaying the scope of U.S. involvement.

"While we are no longer in the lead, U.S. support for the NATO-based coalition remains crucial to assuring the success of international efforts to protect civilians from the actions of the Qaddafi regime," he wrote.

The inaction has raised concern among lawmakers from both parties. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, told Fox News that a bipartisan House coalition is prepared to move a resolution Monday that would either get Congress to sign off on the intervention or cut off the operation.

Without stating whether or how they might challenge the U.S. military involvement, several other lawmakers called for an explanation from the administration, and fast.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, R-Calif., fired off a letter to Obama calling for the president to justify the U.S. military's presence in the country and underscoring the 60-day deadline.

"With America's armed forces in harm's way, it is not my intention to second-guess or undermine your authority as Commander in Chief. However, the War Powers Resolution requires that, within sixty calendar days after a notification is submitted to Congress regarding the introduction of U.S. forces into hostilities, the President terminate any use of U.S. forces unless the Congress has acted. As you are aware, we are approaching this critical juncture," McKeon wrote.

Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., in a Detroit News op-ed, called on Congress to assert its authority.

"There has been no better time to regain our Constitutional balance and check the president's war powers. Congress is a co-equal branch -- and it should start acting like it," he wrote, conceding that a related bill he introduced in late March is unlikely to get a vote. He also expressed concern about a defense bill he claimed would grant authorization for use of force worldwide.
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Obama said he wanted bipartisanship...

[clearvision]

Obama said he wanted bipartisanship...

 

Obama's teleprompter said he wanted bipartisanship....