Boehner: Obama not 'technically' violating War Powers Act

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said on Wednesday that “technically” President Obama has not violated the War Powers Act by involving U.S. troops in combat in Libya.

“There are a lot of questions that remain, and frankly I think that members on both sides of the aisle are looking for answers about this and they are looking for some clarity,” Boehner said.

GOP leadership opted to move a vote on a bill to withdraw U.S. troops from Libya because lawmakers needed more time to consider that action.

GOP leaders pulled a bill sponsored by liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) that would have required Obama to remove U.S. troops from the Libyan operation.

Boehner told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that “we decided that the House wasn’t ready to decide the question, and I think before we proceed, we want to do so, in what we think is the best interest of our country and allow a process for the American people’s will to be heard on the House floor.”

According to several sources, Kucinich’s resolution was gaining support from among those in GOP ranks, to the point that it might pass.

Kucinich issued a statement expressing his disappointment that the House wouldn’t vote on his resolution on Wednesday, in which he accused the administration of intervening to prevent such a vote from occurring.

But, Boehner told reporters that the administration had not requested a delay in a vote on the resolution “that would require picking up the phone.”

According to Boehner, the administration rarely contacts his office. 

House GOP members are set to meet on Thursday for a closed-door meeting, Boehner explained.

“We are going to work with our members, and really, we’re not going to have any information until we finish our conference with our members tomorrow. Conference with our members tomorrow — after that, we’ll have a better feel for where we are going,” Boehner said.

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