By Emily Cadei, CQ Staff

As the Obama administration prepares to provide lawmakers with documents about its decision to intervene in Libya, House Speaker John A. Boehner sent a warning Tuesday that the move might not be enough to satisfy members of his party.

In a letter to President Obama, the Ohio Republican said the administration will be in violation of the War Powers Act if it does not obtain congressional authorization for military operations in Libya by June 19.

Citing a 90-day deadline in the 1973 law (PL 93-148) for obtaining congressional authorization of military action, Boehner asked Obama to present a legal justification for continuing operations without a blessing from Capitol Hill.

Separately, two leading anti-war lawmakers indicated they would take their complaint against the U.S. intervention in Libya to federal court on Wednesday.

Obama already has exceeded a 60-day deadline — which can be extended for 30 days — set by the law.

That is adding to growing unrest, particularly in the House, where 148 members voted earlier this month for a resolution (H Con Res 51) calling for U.S. forces to withdraw from Libya within 15 days. No administration has ever acknowledged the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution, which became law in 1973 over President Richard Nixon’s veto as U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War wound down.

“I respect your authority as commander-in-chief, though I remain deeply concerned the Congress has not been provided answers from the executive branch to fundamental questions regarding the Libya mission necessary for us to fulfill our equally important constitutional responsibilities,” Boehner wrote. “I sincerely hope the administration will faithfully comply with the War Powers Resolution and the requests made by the House of Representatives, and that you will use your unique authority as our president to engage the American people regarding our mission in Libya.”

Up to now, Boehner has resisted taking a stand on the operation in Libya, but he has made clear his unhappiness over how the administration has handled the issue.

“I and many other members of the House of Representatives are troubled that U.S. military resources were committed to war without clearly defining for the American people, the Congress and our troops what the mission in Libya is and what America’s role is in achieving that mission,” Boehner wrote in a March 23 letter.

But when Democratic Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio forced a vote earlier this month on a resolution that would have declared that Obama had violated the War Powers Resolution — and demanded an end to the U.S. engagement in Libya — Boehner engineered a compromise measure (H Res 292) calling for additional documents from the administration.

With the 14-day deadline in that resolution coming on Thursday, Boehner appears to be laying down a marker for what he is looking for from the White House.

Kucinich, meanwhile, issued a statement saying that he and Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., would “lead a bipartisan group to file a complaint [Wednesday] in federal court concerning President Barack Obama, the war in Libya and the American people.” No further details were available Tuesday.

Documents Expected