Boehner: Boston Marathon was ‘terrorist attack,’ no action needed in Congress

Congress does not need to take immediate legislative action in response to the bombs that exploded during the Boston Marathon Monday, House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday morning.

"I think our law enforcement officials both at the federal level and the local level are going to have all the resources they need, and all the technology and tools they need to get to the bottom of it," Boehner told reporters during a briefing, adding that he "doesn't think" there's anything else Congress needs to do legislatively.

Boehner and House Republicans condemned the bombing, which has left three dead and more than 170 injured, as a "terrorist attack" during the briefing.

"We can describe it a lot of different ways, but it was a terrorist attack of some sort," Boehner said. "Again, until we know who or why, I don't think we can further define it. There's just not enough information at this point in time."

Flags near the Capitol flew at half-staff Monday and Tuesday, and both the House and Senate have observed moments of silence since the attack.

Boehner spoke to President Barack Obama shortly after the attack, White House and Capitol Hill aides confirmed.

Local and federal law enforcement authorities continue to investigate what occurred.

"We know we're vulnerable. It's talked about almost every day," said Boehner. "But this is a reminder of just how vulnerable … we really are in this era of what I'll call modern warfare. Again, we don't know who perpetrated this or for what reasons, but I'm confident that we'll get to the bottom of it."