House Votes Show Mixed Feelings on Libya Mission

A second vote in the House of Representatives Friday portrayed a complex portrait on Congress' attitude toward the Libya mission, with a vote to cut off some of its funding falling short by a 238-180 vote. Despite the earlier vote, rejecting a limited one-year authorization for military intervention, members of Congress had mixed feelings on how far they should go in rejecting President Obama's decisions on Libya.

The House of Representatives voted 295-123 Friday against a measure that would authorize U.S. involvement in Libya for a year, formally registering an objection to President Obama's authorization of NATO-led air strikes. The measure is likely largely symbolic since it is not expected to passed in the Senate.

Republican members of the House, most prominently House Speaker John Boehner, have objected to what they call the president's lack of congressional consultation and violation of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires the White House to seek congressional approval to deploy military forces for more than 60 days. The Obama administration has argued that because there are no troops on the ground involved in hostilities, and because the United States is playing a supporting role, the action does not fall under the War Powers Act.