WASHINGTON — A central Illinois congressman said he and nine other members of Congress are suing to stop U.S. involvement in the war in Libya because they believe it is unconstitutional and has little connection to the safety of people here at home.

"Our involvement in the Middle East has been a foolhardy mission that has not made the people of Mount Zion or east Urbana any safer," U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, said on Wednesday evening. "I defy anybody to say our involvement has made somebody in Sadorus or Champaign one iota safer."

Johnson said he believes sending troops into combat without the consent of Congress is unconstitutional.

He said the Constitution bars presidents from committing the nation to war without the authorization of Congress.

"We are asking for a declaration from the court that the administration has exceeded constitutional authority under the War Powers Act and Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution," Johnson said. "The declaration would remove our dollars from Libya for what is an illegal war."

The lawmakers said President Barack Obama violated the Constitution in bypassing Congress and using international organizations like the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to authorize military force.

The lawmakers want a judge to issue an order suspending military operations without congressional approval. They said they were filing their lawsuit Wednesday against Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Joining Johnson in the suit are Democratic Reps. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, John Conyers of Michigan and Michael Capuano of Massachusetts and Republican Reps. Walter Jones and Howard Coble of North Carolina, Dan Burton of Indiana, Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland and Ron Paul of Texas.

Johnson said the congressmen had been working with George Washington University law Professor Jonathan Turley and a college litigation team for the better part of a month to develop the suit.

"(Obama) has been a case in point of presidential excesses," Johnson said. "In my judgment and in the judgment of many members of the House, the president has acted illegally."

Johnson said Obama isn't the first president to act without the approval of Congress.

"We have had a succession of presidents who have violated the Constitution and the War Powers Act," Johnson said. "We've seen a long series of these nation-building interventions that haven't worked. We have to curtail what is becoming a neutering of the U.S. Congress."

Johnson said the U.S. has spent well in excess of $1 trillion in the Middle East and Africa.

"And that's not counting the loss of our men and women who have died and those who have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder," Johnson said. "It is time in Libya to bring our men and women home."

Johnson said he realizes "reprehensible" things have been going on in the Middle East and Africa.

"There has been illegal repression of minorities and women, and that's unfortunate," Johnson said. "I think our Western values would improve the lot of life for the vast majority of people there, but it is not our position to dictate our values on that part of the world. America doesn't have the money or manpower to be the arbiter of actions around the world."

Johnson said the United States should use trade and negotiations as alternatives to warfare to bring about change in Libya.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.