Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo, says he is not sure yet if congress will take any action in support of the military action in Libya. But Braley says the president will have to seek support if the action continues.
Braley says it is clear to him that the engagement in Libya is not covered by the authorization of force agreement given to pursue the engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan before he was elected to Congress. “And the reason that’s clear is because the underlying premises that justified that authorization of force under the War Powers Act is not present in this conflict,” Braley said.
Braley says the War Powers Act requires the president to come to congress and get specific authorization to continue the military action in Libya after a certain amount of time. He says it’s his opinion that the time clock on seeking congressional authorization began when the U.S. started using force in Libya.
Braley says the president has done what he was required to do by sending a letter to congress explaining his action in Libya. Braley says, based on extensive study he has done of the act, the letter is simply a notification of the action the president has taken, but it begins the countdown that requires the president to seek approval base on the action the president takes under a specific set of circumstances.
Braley was set to get a briefing on the issue from the secretary of state that could impact whether or not there is a need for the president to seek approval from congress.