Kucinich proposes bill requiring congressional approval before deploying military

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) proposed legislation on Thursday that would prohibit any deployment of U.S. armed forces without congressional approval, which he said is needed because the United States continues to deploy troops without consulting Congress first.

"Congress must reestablish itself as a co-equal branch of government and ensure that the U.S. is not committed to another NATO mission absent prior congressional statutory authorization," Kucinich said. "The Constitution is clear: Article 1, Section 8 provides only Congress with the ability to declare war or authorize the use of military force. Congress cannot stand by idly as the Constitution is circumvented."

Kucinich noted that recently, President Obama authorized military action in Libya by citing authorization from the United Nations Security Council. "That is not a substitute for a Congressional declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force and it is in clear subversion of the Constitution," Kucinich's statement said.

He also noted that NATO is operating in Afghanistan, Kosovo, the Mediterranean Sea, the Horn of Africa and Somalia, and that recent operations have taken place in Europe and around the Middle East. Kucinich also said the costs of these wars is beginning to take a toll on the United States.

"After 10 years and trillions of dollars spent waging wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is clear that we cannot afford to further commit our already overcommitted military," he said. "The war in Libya cost the United States $1 billion."

Kucinich's bill is H.R. 6290.

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