Senate Approves Resolution Limiting Trumps Military Authority in Venezuela

US Senate Advances Resolution Limiting President’s Military Action in Venezuela

Washington, DC - The US Senate has voted 52-47 to advance a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization. The procedural measure will now proceed to a full floor debate in the Senate.

The resolution requires Trump to remove US armed forces from “imminent engagement” with or against Venezuela without further approval from Congress. If passed, it could limit Trump’s ability to take unilateral military action in the country.

Several Republican senators broke with their party leader to vote in favor of advancing the resolution. The five Republicans who voted were Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Todd Young, and Josh Hawley.

The resolution will now be sent to a full floor debate in the Senate, where it must be passed by both chambers of Congress to reach Trump’s desk. If passed, Trump could veto the resolution, but it would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override the veto.

Experts say that the vote is significant, as it reflects discontent over President Trump’s actions in Venezuela, including his unilateral military abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. The US military has remained deployed to the Caribbean since the incident.

The resolution is part of a broader effort by Congress to reassert its constitutional role in decisions related to war and peace. Legal experts note that the War Powers Act of 1973 created a process for Congress to rein in a president’s unilateral use of the military, but it has not been used in recent years.

A final vote on the Senate resolution is expected next week.

Source: Al Jazeera