Full Libya defunding discussed as next step in House

Members of the House on Friday were already discussing a more serious step to cut off all funding for military operations in Libya, even as they debated two Libya bills that some criticized as too weak.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) said on the floor that when the House returns in July, he and Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) will propose an amendment to the Defense Department Appropriations Act that cuts off all funding for Libya operations.

Kucinich said he would vote for H.R. 2278, which prohibits spending in Libya except for search and rescue, intelligence, aerial refueling and operational planning. Kucinich said this bill is "not perfect," but "it does make clear that the United States will not take over the war as European support continues to diminish."

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) went further by saying that in authorizing these exceptions, H.R. 2278 actually authorizes the Obama administration to continue doing what it is already doing in Libya.

Kucinich's full defunding amendment won the support of a Republican member of the House — Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.), who was managing some of the debate on Friday.

"We could go one step further that says no funds shall be used, period," Woodall said. "And when we return to this body, Mr. Speaker, I believe my colleague Mr. Kucinich and my colleague Mr. Amash are going to make that amendment available to us, and I will be voting yes when that amendment comes down the pipe.

"But for today, for today we have an opportunity to take a step in that direction," he said. "We have an opportunity to make our voice heard."