Nov. 7 (UPI) — Republicans narrowly defeated a bipartisan bill in the Senate that would have required congressional approval for military action against Venezuela. This comes as the Trump administration continues a military buildup in the region and carries out attacks on alleged drug boats in nearby waters.
The GOP lawmakers rejected Senate Joint Resolution 90 in a close 51-49 vote on Thursday evening. Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined their Democratic colleagues in voting in favor of the measure. The resolution was introduced by Paul alongside Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia. It was drafted in response to reports that President Donald Trump was considering military ground strikes against Venezuela.
Venezuela has long been a target of Trump, who, during his first administration, launched a failed multiyear campaign to pressure the ousting of its authoritarian leader, President Nicolas Maduro. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has used his executive powers to target drug cartels, including the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang.
Trump has claimed, without providing evidence, that TdA has “invaded” the United States at Maduro’s direction. This is despite the National Intelligence Council’s conclusion in May that the regime “probably does not have a policy of cooperating” with TdA.
The vote took place as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the 17th known military strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat in Caribbean international waters. Since Sept. 2, the United States has killed around 70 people in these attacks.
These attacks have drawn both domestic and international criticism, with allegations of war crimes, murder, and extrajudicial killings. Some Democrats have urged the Trump administration to answer questions about the legality of the strikes, which they argue lack proper congressional approval.
Following the Thursday vote, Senator Tim Kaine stated that the Trump administration informed some members of Congress that it lacked legal authority to launch any attacks into Venezuela. Concerns remain that such actions could escalate into a full-scale war.
“Trump’s illegal strikes on boats in the Caribbean and threats of land strikes in Venezuela recklessly and unnecessarily put the U.S. at risk of war,” Kaine said in a statement. In a separate statement, he criticized Republican colleagues, saying: “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.”
Sen. Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana, voted against the bill. In a statement, he explained that he had been informed about the legal rationale behind the strikes and does not believe the resolution is appropriate at this time, though that could change.
“My vote is not an endorsement of the administration’s current course in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific,” Young said. “As a matter of policy, I am troubled by many aspects and assumptions of this operation and believe it is at odds with the majority of Americans who want the U.S. military less entangled in international conflicts.”
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