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Freshman U.S. Rep. Mark Takai of Hawaii joined 138 House colleagues Wednesday in an unsuccessful effort to require the withdrawal of U.S. forces fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria by the end of the year unless Congress passes an authorization for use of military force. The with more than twice as many representatives — 288, including Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard — voting it down.

President Obama requested an AUMF in February, but Congress has failed to act on the measure. Even so, the administration contends it has the authority to continue “Operation Inherent Resolve” — the 10-month-old campaign against ISIS — under an AUMF passed in 2001.

The Honolulu Democrat and lieutenant colonel in the Hawaii Army National Guard pressed the matter on Tuesday in a televised exchange with Defense Secretary Ashton Carter during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, after which Takai said “it remains unclear what the end game and limits of American commitment are to this conflict.”

In response to Takai, Carter said passage of the proposed AUMF would provide the direction and flexibility needed to prosecute the military campaign effectively and send a strong message of support to U.S. troops fighting in Iraq and Syria. But he added that he “can’t say whether it’s legally necessary in any sense.”

Takai followed up with concerns over mission creep and an ever-escalating number of troops being deployed to the region. “I think we all want to know, how does this end and where do we draw the line on American involvement in this conflict?” Takai asked. Carter countered that the administration strategy is not to have U.S. troops substitute for “capable and motivated local forces, but to have U.S. and coalition forces enable those forces” — critical to getting a sustainable “lasting result.”

“Our strategy is not to put in 100,000 American troops. It is to put in smaller and carefully selected groups that can have unusual leverage,” said Carter.

Afterward, Takai released a statement saying, “We cannot let ourselves engage in another Middle East conflict with no clear end, under a law that was enacted 14 years ago.  Before we commit any additional resources to the Middle East, there needs to be clarity as to the role the United States will be playing.  …It has been 10 months — we have spent billions of dollars and again, find U.S. troops at risk,” said Takai.

“It is time for the White House and Congress to have a discussion on how to best use our military  resources in the Middle East. I encourage my colleagues to bring the AUMF to the floor so we can have a full and open debate and hear the voice of the American people.”

Watch the exchange between Takai and Carter here: