The ranking Democrats on four relevant committees and a subcommittee in the House have put forward a war powers resolution aimed to stop President Donald Trump’s campaign of killing ostensible drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, “operations the administration has carried out for more than 60 days without congressional authorization.”
“The Trump Administration has not provided a credible rationale for its 21 unauthorized military strikes on vessels in the Western Hemisphere, which have resulted in the extrajudicial killings of dozens of individuals,” they said in a statement announcing the legislation. “Nor has this administration explained why it has deployed an invasion-level force of roughly 15,000 troops, a carrier strike group, and military aircraft for a mission it claims is about counter-narcotics. This posture is wildly disproportionate to the stated objective and far more reminiscent of preparations for war.
“The administration has also failed to justify why these boats could not have been interdicted and their crews questioned for information and brought to justice, or why they posed an imminent threat to the United States. If these operations are truly intended to prevent illicit drugs from reaching the United States, then the administration must explain why this is not a mission for the U.S. Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies, who the Congress has authorized to intercept suspicious vessels and to prosecute criminal suspects. The Congress has not authorized the use of military force.
“The Constitution grants Congress, not the President, the power to declare war; without Congressional approval, the President is not only circumventing the legislative branch, but grossly expanding his power to act as judge, jury, and executioner.”
The ranking Democrats co-sponsoring the resolution include Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Committee; Adam Smith (D-WA), House Armed Services Committee; Jim Himes (D-CT), House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), House Homeland Security Committee; Jason Crow (D-CO), House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations; and also Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
