WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley — a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — today, Jan. 14, released the following statement after the Senate voted to block U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)’s War Powers Resolution aimed at stopping unauthorized U.S. military action in Venezuela:
“The Trump Administration has repeatedly misled the American people about its plans for Venezuela, sending our nation down a dangerous path. The Administration has failed to provide many of the answers Congress is rightfully owed and made clear it has no plan to ensure the will of the Venezuelan people is honored, or that power is transferred to legitimate democratic leadership. The continued lack of honesty should outrage all of us, but instead of standing up to Trump, Senate Republicans blocked yet another attempt to rein in our warmonger president.
“There is no clear path forward, no timeline, and no explanation of how the Trump Administration intends to avoid further instability or escalation. Instead, the Administration appears to be prioritizing profits for Big Oil over democracy and the rule of law.
“In the face of Trump’s stonewalling and recklessness, it is our constitutional responsibility to prevent the United States from being pulled into another open-ended war. We must not continue to fail this test.”
Previously, Merkley took to the Senate Floor in an attempt to pass his Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, legislation he leads with Senator Kaine, that would prohibit the use of federal funds for any use of military force in or against Venezuela without explicit Congressional authorization. Merkley’s bill does not prevent the United States from acting to defend itself or its citizens from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack, pursue lawful counternarcotics operations, or provide humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people. Senate Republicans ultimately blocked Merkley’s bill.
To learn more about the Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, including the full text of the legislation, click here.
Merkley also partnered with Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) to introduce the Protecting Taxpayers from Risky Investments in Venezuela Act. Their bill would prevent American taxpayer dollars from being used to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure without Congressional approval.
Full text of the Protecting Taxpayers from Risky Investments in Venezuela Act can be found by clicking here.
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