House Refuses to Defund Libyan Operation

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) -- The House has turned back a Republican-led effort to cut off money for military hostilities in the Libyan war.

The vote was 238-180. It came after the House had overwhelmingly rejected a largely symbolic measure to give President Barack Obama the authority to continue U.S. involvement in the military operation against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.

The funding measure would have barred drone attacks and airstrikes but allowed the United States to continue actions in support of NATO.

In the end, 89 Republicans defected on the largely GOP-sponsored measure. Among the Republicans voting against defunding the military action were Paul Ryan and Michele Bachmann.