The House of Representatives rejected a Democratic-sponsored resolution endorsing U.S. involvement in an operation spearheaded by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.
The Republican-led House defeated the Obama administration’s Libya policy with a resounding 295-123 vote. Though the vote was largely along party lines, 70 House Democrats deserted President Obama, according to The New York Times.
The president’s assertion that he isn’t required to seek congressional authorization to continue operations in Libya because American troops are not involved in hostilities has angered Republicans and divided members of his own party.
“We find ourselves past the three-month mark with no end in sight,” Buck McKeon, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. “It’s not appropriate for this body to cover [Obama’s] lapse with a blanket authorization.”
House Democrats, including House Foreign Affairs Committee member Howard Berman, have accused members of the GOP of forcing votes in an attempt to embarrass the White House.
“Our commitments to NATO are too important to be exploited for cynical political purposes,” he said. “They want to continue to play games with U.S. national security.”
The resolution, which was initially drafted by a bipartisan contingent of lawmakers led by former presidential candidates John Kerry and John McCain, is expected to be approved by the Senate.
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