Bipartisan Effort to Curb Libya Operations in the House

There are three things to look for over the next day or so on Libya and War Powers as the House tangles with the Defense Authorization bill.

First, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, has filed a privileged resolution which, if adopted by the House, would end U.S. intervention in Libya.

The House must grant him the opportunity to take the floor for up to an hour by the end of the week.

Secondly, the debate could go very late into the night tomorrow and Thursday (and maybe Friday) on the defense bill. There are two Libya/War Powers amendments in order.

The first is offered by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich.

It says that no funds authorized in the bill may be used to put ground troops in Libya, unless the purpose is to rescue members of the Armed Forces from imminent danger (presumably U.S. NATO forces participating in the no-fly zone who might get shot down). The idea is that it codifies the president's stated position on ground troops and the U.N. Resolution that barred ground forces.

The amendment also ensures there won't be "mission creep" without Congressional authorization of force.

In addition, the Rules Committee made in order an amendment by Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J.

It basically says that the military spending authorization bill does not specifically authorize any military engagement in Libya. In essence, this trims funding of any Libya operation.

On Wednesday, Garrett will introduce a resolution (companion to Rand Paul's in Senate) that calls on President Obama to seek formal authorization from Congress for any more use of military forces in Libya. All of this is based on questions of constitutionality.