Kaine, Merkley Introduce Bill to Prohibit Federal Funds to Pay for War Against Venezuela

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025 to prohibit the use of federal funds for any use of military force in or against Venezuela without explicit Congressional authorization.

"We shouldn't stumble into an unnecessary war with Venezuela-risking U.S. servicemembers' lives-with no congressional authorization and incomplete information about the Administration's objectives, its legal rationale, and the potential consequences of a long-term conflict that could drive migration and irreparably fracture Venezuela," said Kaine. "This legislation would prevent us from doing that, and I urge my colleagues to support it and reclaim the solemn responsibilities on matters of war and peace assigned to Congress by the Constitution."

"Congress cannot stand by while Donald Trump wages war without authorization," said Merkley. "Nicolás Maduro is a brutal dictator, but that does not provide justification for the Trump Administration to ignore U.S. law to carry out these unconstitutional military strikes. Donald Trump cannot be trusted, and we must say no to another endless war, reckless regime change, and lethal operations-which are essentially extrajudicial killings-and do nothing to make the American people safer."

Kaine and Merkley's bill does not prevent the United States from acting to defend itself or its citizens from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack, pursue lawful counternarcotics operations, or provide humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people.

The Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025 is also co-sponsored by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

"The Trump Administration has amassed the largest naval buildup in the Caribbean in decades and committed extrajudicial killings in international waters amounting either to murder or war crimes. Congress has not authorized this Administration to take these offensive actions, and with good reason - the American people do not want to start another war. We must put a stop to this by passing this simple measure to prevent U.S. taxpayer dollars from funding the Trump Administration's manufactured conflict with Venezuela," said Van Hollen.

Kaine has been a leading voice in Congress raising concerns over presidents' efforts to expand the use of military force without Congressional authorization.

Full text of the Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025 can be found here.

###