House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday brushed off a proposed resolution calling for Congress to recognize Michael Jackson for his "humanitarian" work.

"I don't think it's necessary for us to have a resolution," Pelosi told reporters during her weekly press conference.

"In his case, if the idea is to praise the life and work, as I assume that resolution does, then why not do that?" she said. "A resolution, I think, would open up to contrary views to -- that are not necessary at this time to be expressed in association with a resolution whose purpose is quite different."

Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, ignited an intense exchange when she called on lawmakers to recognize the deceased King of Pop as a "global humanitarian and a noted leader in the fight against worldwide hunger and medical crises" and celebrate Jackson as "an accomplished contributor to the worlds of arts and entertainment, scientific advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and global food security."

The resolution, which was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the day after Jackson's death June 25, lists the singer's accomplishments as a musical icon in detail, including his record-breaking album sales and two-time induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The resolution also cites Jackson's "humanitarian" work, including his 1984 visit to a burn unit at a Los Angeles hospital and his decision to grant a dying 14-year-old's request to visit his home.

But Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., called Jackson a "low-life" and "pervert" and said he has no business getting any honors from Congress.

"This man was a child molester," King told FOX News in an interview Wednesday. "By his own admission, he slept with young boys."

"Any one of my critics, would they allow their child or their grandchild to be in the same room with Michael Jackson -- to be alone with Michael Jackson?" King continued.

Jackson Lee took the stage Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and hoisted a framed copy of the resolution, embossed with a gold seal. Jackson Lee told Roll Call newspaper afterward that she was paying tribute to Jackson on behalf of Congress, and said she was asked by Jackson's brother Jermaine to speak at the memorial service.

Jackson Lee noted that Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges. She blasted critics who "don't understand the hearts of entertainers" and "don't know how they heal the world on behalf of America."

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