[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 28, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            LIMITING USE OF FUNDS FOR ARMED FORCES IN LIBYA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 24, 2011

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this legislation, which 
masquerades as a limitation of funds for the President's illegal war on 
Libya, but is in fact an authorization for that very war. According to 
H.R. 2278, the U.S. military cannot be involved in NATO's actions in 
Libya, with four important exceptions. If this passes, for the first 
time the President would be authorized to use U.S. armed forces to 
engage in search and rescue; intelligence, surveillance, and 
reconnaissance; aerial refueling; and operational planning against 
Libya. Currently, absent an authorization or declaration of war, these 
activities are illegal. So instead of ending the war against Libya, 
this bill would legalize nearly everything the President is currently 
doing there.
  That the war in Libya can be ended by expanding it and providing the 
President a legal excuse to continue makes no sense. If this bill 
fails, the entirety of what the President is doing in Libya would 
remain illegal.
  Additionally, it should not really be necessary to prohibit the use 
of funds for U.S. military attacks on Libya because those funds are 
already prohibited by the Constitution. Absent Congressional action to 
allow U.S. force against Libya, any such force is illegal, meaning the 
expenditure of funds for such activities is prohibited. I will, 
however, support any straight and clean prohibition of funds such as 
the anticipated amendments to the upcoming Defense Appropriations bill.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this stealth attempt to authorize the 
Libya war and sincerely hope that the House will soon get serious about 
our Constitutional obligations and authority.