WASHINGTON, D.C. – Less than a week after US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a surprise military operation, the Senate moved forward with a measure to limit future operations without Congress’ authority.
Five Republican Senators joined Democrats to advance a measure that would limit the President’s war powers in Venezuela without congressional approval. Some lawmakers have argued that it’s Congress’ duty, not the President’s, to decide to send troops to war.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D- PA), who was initially undecided ahead of the vote, voted with Democrats to advance the measure. He released this statement following the vote: “I believe the arrest of Maduro was a positive development for Venezuela and its people. I salute our incredible military for their precise execution. I voted AYE on this resolution to discharge it from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee so we can continue this important debate on the floor of the Senate.”
Ahead of the vote, we asked Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D- NY) about the resolution. She said she has a lot of questions for the Administration and their intentions for Venezuela. “This military incursion is definitely making us less safe and for a president who promised he would focus on the united states and not forever wars that he would focus on the cost of groceries, the cost of housing, the cost of medicine, I don’t know why he is focused on Venezuela,” said Sen. Gillibrand.
We also asked Rep. Mike Kelly (R- PA) about the measure before the initial vote in the Senate:
“As far as war powers I don’t see there’s anything that would suggest to me that we’re at the brink of going to war with anybody,” said Rep. Kelly. “I’ll repeat what I said earlier, you better have somebody sitting at the White House that actually has a great concern of what’s going on and we’re concerned with what’s best for the American people than what’s best for the headlines.”
The President took to social media calling out the five Republicans saying in part “This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief.”
Senator Josh Hawley (R- MO), one of the five Republicans voting to advance the measure, said he believes if troops will be involved, it should be left up to Congress. “To me this is a prospectus thing, if going forward DOD recommends to him we need to put troops on the ground in Venezuela and yesterday Secretary Rubio said they don’t want to do that, but it is an option,” said Sen. Hawley. “If that should happen then I think congress would have to be on the hook for that. I think as an Article One, Article Two thing, if you’re gonna put troops in there for hostilities, you’re going to need congressional approval.”
The measure will likely be taken up next week and could go through a long amendment process.
