This Event summary, compiled by Kelly Hawkes for U.S. Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM) Public Affairs, is intended to help describe policy discussions that may affect security policy in Africa. These informal observations and notes are intended to help the reader understand the tone of the event and content of the discussion. They do not reflect the official views of U.S. Africa Command, nor do they provide an official public record of the event. During a Senate hearing for the Committee on Foreign Relations, March 31, 2011, ranking members expressed grave concern over the hefty financial obligation associated with U.S. intervention in Libya. The committee made its position clear in their reluctance to fund operations at the U.S. taxpayers' expense. Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico alluded to the $30 billion of Muammar Gaddafi's assets blocked by the United States as a source of funding. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, the hearing's only witness, stated that those funds are typically held in trust for a future democratic government in Libya. In favor of the idea, Committee Chairman John Kerry of Massachusetts firmly stated, "We'd like to very squarely put it on the table that we ought to be looking at that hard, and I would think that our NATO friends and others would be equally interested in it." Additionally, the committee questioned the President Obama's decision to intervene in Libya without congressional approval. Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, Ranking Republican, stated that the "United States entered the civil war in Libya with little official scrutiny or debate…President Obama's intervention in Libya represents a serious setback to the Constitutional limits on the President's war powers." Deputy Secretary Steinberg maintained the position that the President was within his authority in acting without congressional approval and pointed out that President Ronald Reagan exercised a similar authority during the 1986 U.S. air raids on Libya. Further support of the President's decision came from Chairman Kerry, who said, "We do have strategic interests at stake in Libya…By supporting the Libyan opposition, we give them a fighting chance to oust a dictator with a history of terrorism and the blood of Americans on his hands." On a similar note across the Capitol, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs convened and expressed similar concerns over U.S. actions in Libya. Many House members further questioned the President's decision and claimed his actions violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973. "It requires the president in every possible instance to consult with Congress before introducing American armed forced into hostilities or imminent hostilities unless there has been a declaration of war or other specific congressional authorization," said Representative Dan Burton of Indiana. To counter this statement, Deputy Secretary Steinberg, also testifying in the House hearing, stated that President Obama fully complied with the resolution by consulting with Congress and providing notification within 48 hours after the beginning of hostilities. "We're following the practice that administrations in the past have followed in terms of how we engage with Congress on these kinds of activities," he said. Overall, the House took a much stronger position than its Senate counterpart on classifying U.S. operations in Libya as a war. "We're at war in Libya…I don't believe the president of the United States has the authority to take America to war without congressional approval where our safety and vital national interest are not directly threatened," said Representative Mike Pence of Indiana. Many committee members additionally questioned why the United States is even involved in Libya. Representative Ted Poe of Texas said, "Secretary of Defense Dates has stated that Libya is not in the vital interest of the United States. Then why are we dropping bombs in this country?" Others suggested that the current situation in the Ivory Coast calls for greater concern. Concerns over the Libyan opposition's connection to al-Qaeda and other anti-American terrorist organizations were also raised. Representative Brad Sherman of California asked, "how do I explain to American servicemen from my district that…we're risking their lives to defend those with American blood on their hands?" Furthermore, in reference to the Gaddafi asset seizure, Representative Sherman declared "it is simply outrageous that we are going to hold this money and…use American taxpayer dollars to carry out this operation." See related transcript: TRANSCRIPT: Assessing the Situation in Libya