The U.S. Senate voted 52-47 on Thursday to advance S.J. Res. 98, sponsored by Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, requiring Congress to approve any further military action against Venezuela. Every Democrat voted for the bill, as did five Republicans — Senators Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young.
The resolution states:
To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress. Congress makes the following findings: (1) Congress has the sole power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the United States Constitution. (2) Congress has not declared war upon Venezuela or any person or organization within or operating from Venezuela, nor enacted a specific statutory authorization for use of military force within or against Venezuela. (3) The use of military force by the United States Armed Forces within or against Venezuela constitutes the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities within the meaning of section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated, “The Senate advanced @SenTimKaine and my bipartisan war powers resolution, which would block the Trump administration’s use of the U.S. armed forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress. Today we send a powerful message to the Trump administration: no more endless wars.”
JUST NOW: The Senate advanced @SenTimKaine and my bipartisan war powers resolution, which would block the Trump administration’s use of the U.S. armed forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress.
Today we send a powerful message to…
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 8, 2026
Oklahoma GOP senator Markwayne Mullin responded, “Wrong move. @POTUS drove a successful law enforcement operation to capture a U.S.-indicted drug trafficker who targets and kills American citizens. He was 100% within his Article II authority. Joe Biden put a $25 million bounty on Nicolas Maduro–Trump put him in jail.”
Wrong move. @POTUS drove a successful law enforcement operation to capture a U.S.-indicted drug trafficker who targets and kills American citizens.
He was 100% within his Article II authority.
Joe Biden put a $25 million bounty on Nicolas Maduro–Trump put him in jail. https://t.co/oPoW1fYMJD
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) January 8, 2026
If the House of Representatives approves the bill, which is possible, President Trump will veto it. Once that happens, overriding the bill would require a 2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate, which is unlikely to happen.
Last June, Kaine introduced a similar resolution that instructed Trump to end the use of U.S. armed forces in any hostilities with Iran. The motion to “discharge” the resolution from the Foreign Relations Committee (to bring it to a full floor vote) was rejected by a vote of 47–53. The vote fell largely along party lines. All 52 Republicans (except for Sen. Rand Paul) and one Democrat (Sen. John Fetterman) voted against it.
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