Washington ( CNN ) -- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a joint resolution Tuesday supporting the limited use of U.S. military force in Libya for one year -- a move sought by the Obama administration as it works to win clear congressional backing of the controversial North African mission . The resolution , which explicitly rejects any introduction of U.S. ground troops , was approved 14-5 . It now advances to the full Democratic-controlled Senate . The Republican-controlled House of Representatives rejected a similar measure last Friday , but also voted down a bill restricting U.S. involvement in the conflict . Deep congressional divisions over the mission stem from , among other things , a belief among some representatives and senators on both sides of the aisle that the White House has violated the War Powers Resolution . Passed in 1973 , the law gives a president 60 days to get congressional approval for sending U.S. forces to war , followed by a 30-day extension to end hostilities . The combined 90-day period ended last week without any congressional expression of support for America 's role in the NATO-led operation . Administration officials have repeatedly asserted that the U.S. role in Libya does not meet the law 's definition of hostilities . The president reportedly overruled contrary legal opinions put forward by both the Pentagon and the Justice Department 's Office of Legal Counsel in declining to seek congressional authorization . Earlier Tuesday , top State Department legal adviser Harold Koh told members of the committee that the War Powers law does not apply to the U.S. military intervention . Koh argued that the measure is not applicable because the U.S. role in the mission is limited in terms of its scope , means , exposure of U.S. forces , and chances of escalation . `` The precedent here has been narrowly drawn , '' Koh asserted . Republicans on the committee did not agree . Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar , the committee 's top Republican , said President Barack Obama 's decision to intervene without explicit congressional backing was a `` fundamental failure of leadership that placed expedience '' before constitutional responsibility . `` There was no good reason why President Obama should have failed to seek authorization '' by Congress , he added . There has been a `` lack of constitutional discipline '' in this case . Sen. Bob Corker , R-Tennessee , told Koh he was `` sticking a stick in the eyes of Congress , '' `` I think you 've undermined the integrity of the War Powers Act , '' Corker said . By refusing to take a tougher stance against the administration 's actions , senators are `` making ourselves irrelevant '' to debates over military action , he added . Koh told committee members that a `` major structural flaw '' of the law is that , absent explicit congressional approval , it requires an automatic termination of military engagements after 60 days . `` You can not run these things by autopilot , '' he said . Executive and legislative branch judgment is required in each instance , he asserted . Koh , along with both Democrats and Republicans , acknowledged the act could be updated to reflect technological advances such as unmanned predator drone strikes -- something unheard of when the law was passed during the Vietnam War . The `` language needs further clarification , '' said Kerry , the chairman of the committee . But for Congress to now `` pull the rug out from under ( America 's NATO allies ) would have far-reaching consequences , '' he warned . The allied military effort in Libya , which has formal United Nations support , was launched to protect civilians from violence stemming from a crackdown launched by longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi . Western leaders have made clear that they believe the mission can not be successfully completed without Gadhafi 's ouster . The White House has promised not to use U.S. ground troops , but bipartisan congressional opposition to the military campaign has nevertheless been mounting over several weeks .
NEW : The Foreign Relations Committee backs limited U.S. military action in Libya . State Department legal adviser says the Libya mission is limited in scope , exposure of forces . Key Republicans argue Obama has improperly circumvented the 1973 War Powers Resolution . It requires the president to get congressional approval within 60 days after deploying military .