was plaintiff on similar lawsuit against President Clinton over Kosovo bombing
Congressman Roscoe Bartlett is part of a bipartisan group of 10 House Members who filed a lawsuit today against President Obama over his unilateral decision to engage the U.S. military in Libya.
Congressman Bartlett said, "This lawsuit is not about whether the U.S. military should be in Libya, but HOW the U.S. military was ordered in to Libya. The United States does not have a King's Army. That is why I am among many people who believe that President Obama's unilateral decision to involve the United States in war in Libya was unconstitutional and illegal. President Obama has not sought and has not obtained authorization by the Congress to engage in military action in Libya. Libya did not and has not attacked the United States, U.S. territory or U.S. citizens. President Obama's unilateral deployment of the U.S. military in Libya was and is an affront to our Constitution and a clear violation of the War Powers Resolution."
Congressman Bartlett noted, "Every President since the War Powers Resolution was approved over President Nixon's veto has insisted that this law is unconstitutional. However, only Presidents Clinton, and now Obama failed to come to the Congress and obtain authorization to use military force abroad as required under the War Powers Resolution. These dangerous precedents must be challenged. That is why I joined 32 colleagues to sue President Clinton. That is why I signed on to the lawsuit filed today against President Obama."
Congressman Bartlett elaborated, "I am not necessarily opposed to U.S. military action in Libya because we haven't had that debate yet in the Congress. I am opposed to the U.S. continuing military action in a war in Libya in violation of the United States Constitution and our laws. President Obama must make the case to the American people with a debate in the Congress and votes to justify spending the money for the United States Armed Forces to intervene militarily in Libya. That cost is now approaching $1 billion with no certain end in sight. The federal government doesn't have this money to spend. The money is borrowed. It must be paid back by younger generations."