The U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass a resolution Thursday that aimed to prevent then-President Donald Trump from deploying U.S. military forces to Venezuela. The vote on the Democratic-backed resolution resulted in a tie, falling short of the majority needed for passage.
The outcome highlighted the challenges faced by then-House Speaker Mike Johnson in maintaining party unity and also reflected growing unease within the Republican-controlled Congress regarding the Trump administration's policies in the Western Hemisphere. Republican leaders held the vote open for more than 20 minutes to defeat the resolution.
A similar resolution in the Senate also resulted in a tie the previous week, before Senator J.D. Vance broke the deadlock. The resolutions were largely symbolic, as they would likely have faced a veto from Trump, and a subsequent override attempt would have been unlikely to succeed.
The debate surrounding the resolution centered on the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches regarding military action. Supporters of the resolution argued that Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war and should have a say in any potential military intervention in Venezuela. Opponents maintained that the president has the authority to deploy troops to protect U.S. interests and national security.
The resolution was introduced amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. The Trump administration had imposed sanctions on Venezuela and recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country's legitimate president. The possibility of U.S. military intervention had been a recurring concern, particularly given the ongoing political and economic crisis in Venezuela.
The failure of the resolution in the House underscored the deep divisions within Congress on foreign policy matters and the extent to which the legislative branch was willing to challenge the executive branch's authority in this area. The vote also served as a gauge of Republican support for Trump's foreign policy agenda, with some members expressing reservations about the administration's approach to Venezuela. The resolution is now considered defeated, and no further action is expected in the House.
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