WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a dramatic assertion of congressional authority, U.S. Senator John Fetterman, along with 51 Senate colleagues, voted Thursday to advance the Venezuela War Powers Resolution, a measure aimed at forcing debate over curbing presidential military actions after a controversial U.S. strike in Venezuela.
The 52-47 vote to bring S.J.Res. 98 to the Senate floor marks a rare bipartisan rebuke of the Trump administration’s use of armed forces in foreign operations without explicit congressional approval. Five Republican senators joined Democrats — a split that reflects growing unease within GOP ranks about the legality and scope of recent military actions in Latin America.
“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,” Fetterman said in a statement Thursday, applauding the military’s precision in the January operation but signaling concern over executive overreach.
S.J.Res. 98, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine with bipartisan support, seeks to direct the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela not authorized by Congress, a direct invocation of the War Powers Act of 1973 and Article I of the Constitution.
The resolution comes in the wake of a stunning U.S. military raid on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and their transfer to the United States to face federal drug and narco-terrorism charges. That operation, conducted without a formal congressional war authorization, triggered intense debate on Capitol Hill over presidential war powers.
Supporters argue the measure is a necessary check on what they describe as unilateral military action that could entangle U.S. forces abroad without legislative oversight. Opponents, including the White House, maintain the president acted within his authority to carry out a law-enforcement operation and defend national security interests. The administration has made clear it would veto the resolution if it reaches the president’s desk.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other proponents call the vote a critical upholding of the Constitution’s separation of powers. Critics, including Senate Republican leadership and the White House, warn it could tie the hands of commanders in chief during emergent threats and undermine national security.
With passage from committee, S.J.Res. 98 now faces further debate and a final Senate vote in the coming days before moving to the Republican-controlled House. Its ultimate fate remains uncertain, especially in light of an expected presidential veto that would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override.
Thursday’s action spotlights the deepening tensions between Congress and the White House over war powers, foreign policy oversight, and constitutional authority at a pivotal moment in U.S. relations with Venezuela and broader hemispheric security.
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