House to consider Rooney bill to defund Libya war

The House on Friday is expected to consider legislation from Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) that would prohibit the use of any Department of Defense funds from being used to fund military operations in Libya.

The bill, H.R. 2278, would only allow funds to be used in Libya if specifically authorized by law, except for search and rescue, intelligence, aerial refueling and operational planning.

The defunding language replaces a resolution that members were going to vote on that would have required the president to withdraw U.S. forces from Libya within 15 days. House Republicans in particular worried that this resolution would have been ignored by President Obama, especially if it was only passed by the House.

"The president has ignored the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution, but he cannot ignore a lack of funding," Rooney said. "Only Congress has the power to declare war and the power of the purse, and my bill exercises both of those powers by blocking funds for the war in Libya unless the President receives Congressional authorization."

The other resolution, H.J.Res. 68, is similar to a Senate resolution that would authorize ongoing military operations in Libya for one year, but would not authorize ground troops.