US House defeats bids to rein in Trump’s Venezuela campaign
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US troops have carried out more than 20 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since early September.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – The US House of Representatives narrowly defeated two resolutions on Dec 17 seeking to rein in President Donald Trump’s aggression towards Venezuela, amid widespread speculation that the Republican will launch an attack on the South American oil state’s territory.
The Dec 17 votes took place hours before Mr Trump addressed the country from the White House.
The rare evening speech had been expected to focus on what he sees as big victories but could also address his foreign policy priorities a day after he ordered a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers leaving and entering Venezuela.
The Republican-majority House voted 216 to 210 against a resolution sponsored by Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, that would remove US armed forces from hostilities with “any presidentially designated terrorist organisation in the Western Hemisphere” unless authorised by Congress.
It also voted 213 to 211 to defeat a resolution sponsored by Mr Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, directing the President to remove US forces from hostilities with or against Venezuela without congressional authorisation.
Both votes were almost exclusively along party lines.
Two Republicans voted with Democrats for the first resolution, and three backed the second.
Democrats opposed the first resolution and one voted no on the second.
US troops have carried out more than 20 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since early September, killing more than 80 people as Mr Trump escalates a military build-up against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
The Trump administration has been weighing options to combat what it says is Mr Maduro’s role in the supply of illegal drugs that have killed Americans.
The socialist Venezuelan President has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.
US lawmakers have long accused presidents from both parties of seeking to sidestep the US Constitution’s requirement that Congress, not the president, approve anything other than brief military action.
Members of Congress have tried repeatedly to force Mr Trump to obtain congressional authorisation for the Venezuela campaign since it began in early September.
But every effort has been defeated due to opposition from Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans, who hold slim majorities in both the House and Senate.
Speaking in opposition, Representative Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the resolutions a Democratic ploy “to block President Trump from defending the US from designated cartel terrorists”.
Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, one of the few Republicans who voted in favour, said the power to declare war should not be in the hands of one man.
“If the President believes military action against Venezuela is justified and needed, he should make the case and Congress should vote,” Mr Massie said in a House speech. REUTERS
