Washington — Senate Republicans killed a war powers resolution to limit President Trump’s ability to further strike Venezuela after the White House put pressure on a handful of GOP senators who supported it.
Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana flipped their support Wednesday after initially voting to advance it. Vice President JD Vance had to step in to break the 50-50 tie.
Republicans used a procedural maneuver to block the measure, arguing that the resolution should no longer be “privileged” — which gives it priority on the floor — because the U.S. is not currently engaged in “hostilities” with Venezuela.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, previewed the argument in floor remarks Wednesday morning.
“Today, we expect a vote on a resolution to direct the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela, even though the U.S. is not currently engaged in hostilities in or against Venezuela,” Thune said. “We have no troops on the ground in Venezuela. We’re not currently conducting military operations there.”
Senators advanced the resolution, introduced by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, last week after the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife and Mr. Trump asserted the U.S. is now in charge of the country.
Five Republicans joined all Democrats in support of the measure, pushing it forward after two previous failed attempts in the upper chamber to advance similar resolutions to rein in Mr. Trump’s military action in the region.
The GOP senators who voted with Democrats to advance the measure were Hawley, Young, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Murkowski, Collins and Paul voted against the GOP effort to kill the resolution Wednesday.
