The U.S. House of Representatives is calling on President Barack Obama to clarify the role of the United States in the three-month-old international campaign in Libya.

House lawmakers Friday passed a non-binding resolution that presses Mr. Obama to provide a compelling rationale for U.S. military involvement in Libya. It also prohibits the president from committing ground forces, which he has already said he would not do.

Members of Congress have complained that the president did not adequately consult them before involving the military in Libya.

In a separate vote, the Republican-led House defeated a resolution calling for the end of U.S. military involvement in the NATO-led campaign.

The White House on Friday described the congressional votes as “unnecessary and unhelpful.”

President Obama authorized U.S. military strikes in Libya in March, as part of an international effort to protect civilians as forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi cracked down on a rebel uprising.