Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted to advance S.J.Res.98, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-V.A.)’s War Powers Resolution that Bennet co-sponsored to block the use of the U.S. military to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela:
“Nicolás Maduro was an illegitimate, brutal dictator who lost, and then stole, Venezuela’s 2024 elections. Yet even with Maduro now in U.S. custody, President Trump continues to say the United States should ‘run’ Venezuela to exploit the country’s oil for our economic purposes.
“This is not a legitimate justification for keeping 15,000 U.S. troops and dozens of U.S. military assets off Venezuela’s coast. It is certainly not a legitimate justification for putting U.S. boots on ground in Venezuela.
“Despite President Trump’s promises not to start any new wars, he has authorized military action against seven countries over the last year, blown up alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, and deployed federal troops in at least ten cities – all without Congress’s authorization. Congress must reassert our Constitutional authority to stop the President’s lawlessness.
“This is why I joined Senator Kaine and our colleagues to force today’s vote on a War Powers Resolution to prevent President Trump from plunging us into a pointless war with Venezuela with no clear exit strategy and against the wishes of most Americans.
“I am glad to see the Senate advance this measure on a bipartisan basis. We must pass it as soon as possible and take additional steps to rein in President Trump’s reckless and unauthorized adventurism.”
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