[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5906]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  LIBYA AND THE WAR POWERS RESOLUTION

  (Mr. ROONEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, it's been 25 days since the President began 
kinetic military action in Libya without congressional authorization. 
He made this decision despite the fact that the conflict in Libya did 
not represent an imminent threat to the United States. Instead, the 
President sought the approval of the United Nations and the Arab League 
before taking military action, and not Congress. This sets a terrible 
precedent.
  By seeking only U.N. approval, the President is transferring 
authority that should rest with the American people through their 
Congress, not with an international community. The U.N. resolution is 
nice, but it is not a substitute for congressional authorization.
  Under the War Powers Resolution, the President needs to seek 
congressional approval within 60 days. I have introduced a resolution 
expressing the sense of Congress that President Obama must adhere to 
the War Powers Resolution. Whether you call it a kinetic military 
action or war, this Congress must authorize it. If we don't, we will be 
setting the precedent that we are irrelevant, and the President need 
only seek approval from international bodies outside of the 
jurisdiction of the American people.

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