Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked a resolution on Nov. 6 that would have prohibited U.S. military action in Venezuela without a Congressional authorization. The joint resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) in October, was defeated by a vote of 49 in favor, to 51 against. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Rand Paul (KY) joined the Democrats in backing the measure, reported The Hill. The resolution “directs the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities within or against Venezuela, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force.”
“We should not be in war without Congress,” Kaine told the Senate ahead of the vote.
Leading the charge against the resolution was, not surprisingly, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who never met a war he didn’t like. He based his opposition on a highly selective reading of the Constitution. He argued on the Senate floor that the War Powers Act is a “constitutional infringement” on the President’s ability to conduct military operations since the law “takes away the ability to decide military matters and it resides with us.”
