The outcome came down to a single vote…
The Senate voted 51-50 on Wednesday night to table a bipartisan resolution that would have restricted President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct future military action against Venezuela without prior congressional approval, delivering a narrow victory for the White House and Republican leadership.
The vote followed intense lobbying by Trump and senior administration officials, after Republican senators who had previously broken with the president reversed course. Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana flipped their votes after discussions with Trump and other officials, helping Republicans force a 50-50 split.
Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to adopt a GOP point of order, effectively ending consideration of the war powers resolution.
The measure, advanced under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, would have required the administration to seek congressional authorization before undertaking further military operations against Venezuela. It was introduced after Trump’s surprise raid in Caracas that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Earlier in the week, the Senate advanced the resolution 52-47, with five Republicans — Rand Paul (Ky.), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Todd Young (Ind.), and Josh Hawley (Mo.) — joining all Democrats.
Hawley said he reviewed classified information outlining the administration’s rationale for potential action in Venezuela ahead of Wednesday’s vote. He also said Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured him the administration would seek congressional authorization before deploying troops. Young gave a similar explanation, saying he received commitments that major future military actions would be brought to Congress.
Despite Trump’s criticism of dissenting Republicans after the earlier procedural vote, Collins, Murkowski, and Paul continued to support the resolution. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 8 that the five Republicans who broke with him that day “should never be elected to office again.” Murkowski later said Trump did not persuade her to change her position and that she was not reconsidering her vote.
All Democrats opposed tabling the measure, arguing Congress should reassert its constitutional war powers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rand Paul were the leading proponents.
Republican leaders argued the resolution was unnecessary and procedurally flawed. They moved to strip it of its privileged status, contending that with no active fighting and no U.S. troops on the ground in Venezuela, the measure was moot.
The failed effort comes amid months of U.S. military buildup around Venezuela, lethal strikes on alleged drug smugglers, and seizures of vessels transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil, culminating in the capture of Maduro on Jan. 3. Even if the resolution had advanced, it would have faced additional hurdles, including passage in the Republican-led House and the likelihood of a presidential veto.
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FK ~ MurCOWski, completely done as a representative. It seems when the writing is on the wall (career over with) they come out and double down on stupid!