Senators Slam Senate’s Failure to Pass Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Unauthorized War Against Venezuela

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate blocked a bipartisan war powers resolution led by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) that would have blocked the use of the U.S. Armed Forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela unless that action has been authorized by Congress. This follows the massive buildup of U.S. military assets in the Caribbean and reporting that the Trump Administration is considering land strikes inside the country. Yesterday, the Administration told lawmakers that there is no legal justification to launch attacks in Venezuela.

"The Trump Administration confirmed to some members of Congress yesterday that it lacks the legal authority to launch strikes into Venezuela," said Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees. "But instead of voting to pass our bipartisan war powers resolution to reaffirm this principle, many of my colleagues chose to ignore their solemn constitutional responsibility. If the U.S. is going to put our nation's sons and daughters into harm's way, then we should have a robust debate in Congress in front of the American people. My colleagues' unwillingness to debate an issue as important as this one-as well as Congress' increasing abdication to the Executive Branch on so many other matters-is putting us on a dangerous path."

"This vote to block an unauthorized war with Venezuela, even if it fell short, was bipartisan and an important step. The longer Congress refuses to act, the more we risk getting into a full-fledged war," said Schiff.

Kaine and Schiff introduced a similar measure focused on repeated strikes in the southern Caribbean Sea that the Trump Administration has carried out without congressional authorization, which have killed at least 66 unknown individuals. The legislation did not gain enough Republican support to pass.

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