WASHINGTON — The House refused to vote President Barack Obama the authority for U.S. military operations against Libya on Friday but stopped short of cutting off funds for the mission.
The House voted overwhelmingly against a resolution that would have favored letting the mission continue for one year while barring U.S. ground forces, a resolution the president said he would welcome.
The vote was 295-123, with 70 Democrats joining in the "no" vote.
But shortly after that vote, the House turned back a Republican-led effort to cut off money for military hostilities in the Libyan war.
The vote was 238-180. The funding measure would have barred drone attacks and airstrikes but allowed the United States to continue actions in support of NATO.
The vote marked the first time since 1999 that either House has voted against a president’s authority to carry out a military operation. The last time was to limit President Bill Clinton’s authority to use ground forces in Kosovo.
The defeated resolution mirrors a Senate authorization measure sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., that Obama has indicated he would welcome. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will consider the resolution on Tuesday.
Friday’s second vote to eliminate money for the Libya operation would have made an exception for search and rescue efforts, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, aerial refueling and operational planning to continue the NATO effort in Libya.
House Republicans and some Democrats are upset with Obama for failing to seek congressional authorization as required under the War Powers Resolution. The 1973 law, often ignored by Republican and Democratic presidents, says the commander in chief must seek congressional consent for military actions within 60 days. That deadline has long passed.
Earlier this month, the House voted 268-145 to rebuke Obama for failing to provide a “compelling rationale” for the Libyan mission and for launching U.S. military forces without congressional approval.
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
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