Goodlatte: Congress Must Provide Consent for Military Action

By Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Over the last few weeks the debate in Congress has largely centered around the fiscal challenges that our country is facing and the out-of-control government spending that continues to plague our economy. While there is no doubt that the passage of a federal budget that brings government spending under control was of utmost importance, Congress must not neglect its responsibility and authority regarding the use of force in Libya.

Five weeks ago President Obama met with Congressional leaders to inform them of U.S. action against Libya. The following day, U.S. forces, at the command of President Obama, began attacking targets, controlled by Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi.

I think most Americans, including myself, agree that seeing Moammar Gadhafi and his regime of thugs removed from power would be a good thing. However, I think most Americans, including myself, also feel strongly that American forces should not be committed to this kind of mission without the consent of the U.S. Congress.

Both Presidents Clinton and Bush committed U.S. troops to areas of unrest such as Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq but each time the U.S. Congress passed legislation providing their consent to such actions. President Obama sent American troops into a war in Libya after consulting the United Nations, the Arab League and NATO but without the consent of the Congress.

President Obama cites the War Powers Resolution of 1973 as giving him the authority to commit U.S. forces to the mission in Libya. However, the War Powers Resolution clearly states that the President’s powers as Commander-in-Chief to introduce U.S. forces into hostilities can be exercised only when a declaration of war has been issued, specific statutory authorization has been given or in the event of a national emergency created by an attack on the United States or its forces. While the President did notify Congress of the use of force, he has failed to define the mission in Libya and America’s role in achieving that mission before committing troops in Libya.

I continue to call for an appropriate response by the Congress to the President’s actions. I am a cosponsor and strong supporter of two resolutions which require both the Secretaries of Defense and State to provide the House of Representatives with all documentation that their Departments possess which relate to any consultation with Congress regarding the military action the U.S. has taken in Libya. I am also a cosponsor of a resolution recently introduced by Representative Ron Paul of Texas, which expresses the sense of the Congress that the President is required to obtain in advance specific authorization for the use of U.S. Armed Forces in response to civil unrest in Libya.

Our Founding Fathers envisioned a country where the executive branch and the legislative branch share the responsibility regarding the use of force. President Obama has not sought the consent of the Congress in terms of involving American forces in Libya and for that reason I will continue calling on our Congressional leaders to hold a vote on the Constitutional authority of the President to use force in Libya.

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