FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie
June 3, 2011                                                                                                        (317) 848-0201

Rep. Burton Condemns President Obama’s Abuse of War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement condemning the President's use of military force in Libya without consulting the United States Congress:

“For almost three months now, the American people have waited for a compelling rationale from our President as to why American military forces are in harm's way on Libyan soil.  To this day, we have yet to receive any guidance from the Administration.   And while the President thought it prudent to confer with and seek approval from NATO, the United Nations Security Council and the Arab League, he neither consulted with the United States Congress nor sought its approval for his actions. This decision has placed the President in direct violation of Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution as well as Section 2(c) of the War Powers Resolution.  The Founder's intentions were abundantly clear when they included this maxim in our Constitution. The President is not a king and he should not be allowed to act like one.

“To quote then- Senator Obama from 2007: ‘The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the Nation.’   For the past two months though 12, 909 US service personnel have been engaged in combat operations against Libya's army at a cost to the US taxpayers of $700 Million and climbing.  Our planes have flown over 200 sorties, fired 228 missiles - 90 percent of the overall total - and dropped 455 bombs.  Yet, President Obama has offered no discernible evidence of the actual or imminent threat to our Nation which prompted him to launch this war.    If we are not there to address an immediate threat to our Nation’s security, then what are we there for?   If the President has seen fit to enter Libya without direction or the approval of Congress, where else could he go; Syria, Yemen or the Ivory Coast?   These are questions that still remain unanswered.

“The President’s actions are arrogant and irresponsible.  We can no longer allow the President to act with impunity when our Nation's fighting men and women's lives are potentially at stake. His refusal to follow the letter or spirit of our Constitution is galling and cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.”

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