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| Authorizing The Limited Use Of The U.S. Armed Forces In Support Of The Nato Mission In Libya—Motion To Proceed—Continued |
July 5, 2011 |
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Richard Lugar, R-IN
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"Even if one believes that the President somehow had the legal authority to initiate and continue U.S. military operations in Libya, it does not mean that going to war without Congress was either wise or helpful to the operation. There was no good reason why President Obama should have failed to seek congressional authorization to go to war in Libya. A few excuses have been offered ranging from an impending congressional recess to the authority provided by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973. But these excuses do not justify the President’s lack of constitutional discipline. Twelve days before the United States launched hostilities I called for the President to seek a declaration of war before taking military action. The Arab League resolution, which is cited as a key event in calculations on the war, was passed a full week before we started launching cruise missiles. There was time to seek congressional approval, and Congress would have debated a war resolution if the President had presented one."
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| Libya War Powers Resolution |
June 3, 2011 |
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Jason Chaffetz, R-UT
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"No, Mr. President. Authorization to go to war comes from the American people, and it comes from the United States Congress. We must stand tall and true to the Constitution. We have no choice but to vote on this action. This is a defining moment."
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| Atrophy Of The Balance Of Powers |
November 17, 2008 |
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Jim Webb, D-VA
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"The members of the administration, when I raised this issue nearly 8 months ago, claimed that the 2002 authorization to go to war in Iraq was their legal authorization to negotiate an executive agreement looking to the future relationships in Iraq. I have strong questions about that. First, if the 2002 authorization to go to war would be good in terms of an executive agreement to define our future relationship, then why did we even need the U.N. mandate in the first place? The second is, the 2002 authorization to go to war in Iraq took place at a time when the present Government of Iraq did not even exist."
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| New Direction For Energy Independence, National Security, And Consumer Protection Act And The Renewable Energy And Energy Conservation Tax Act Of 2007 |
April 3, 2008 |
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Richard Durbin, D-IL
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"I think I can speak for the Senator from Massachusetts. We have cast between us thousands of votes on the floor of the Senate, myself in the House of Representatives as well. I cannot think of another vote more profound and more important than the vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq in October 2002. Senator Kennedy and I joined 21 of our colleagues in voting against that authorization to go to war. At the time, it was not the most popular vote, but it turned out to be the right vote. Not to take anything away from these brave men and women who have given so much for our country, but this war may be the most fatal foreign policy mistake of the modern era, and we continue to pay for it every day in American lives and blood and treasure and in our reputation and safety in the world."
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