House Democrats seek to reclaim war powers, prohibit U.S. funds for Venezuela conflict

Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Seth Moulton are moving to block any unauthorized U.S. war with Venezuela, arguing that Congress — not the president — must decide whether the nation goes to war.​​

Democrats move to block war

• Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat and former Marine, has introduced the “No Unauthorized War with Venezuela Act” to prohibit the use of federal funds for military action in or against Venezuela without explicit congressional authorization.​
• The legislation comes amid heightened scrutiny of recent and potential U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and around Venezuela that critics say have proceeded without adequate consultation with Congress.​​

Veterans warn against escalation

• Moulton is joined by Democratic veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, who say their experience in previous conflicts underscores the dangers of entering a new war of choice without a full debate and vote in Congress.​​
• At a recent Capitol Hill news conference, lawmakers said unauthorized actions risk repeating the mistakes of past interventions and put U.S. troops in “constitutional peril” when force is used without a clear legal basis.​

Emphasis on constitutional authority

• Supporters of the bill argue that the Constitution requires Congress to authorize war and that any president who initiates major hostilities without approval is overstepping legal and democratic limits.​​
• Moulton and his allies say their measure is designed as a preemptive check, setting a “marker” that the administration cannot rely on broad or outdated authorities to justify expanded military operations targeting Venezuela.​​

Push for diplomacy over force

• Democratic lawmakers backing the legislation say U.S. strategy toward Venezuela should be “rooted in diplomacy, partnership and restraint,” contending that unilateral escalation would undermine long-term U.S. and regional security.​​
• They argue that if the administration believes military force is necessary, it should present evidence and a clear strategy to Congress and the American people rather than acting first and seeking support later.​​

Rising partisan tensions

• The push to restrain military action has sharpened partisan tensions, with Democrats accusing the Trump administration of abusing executive power and bypassing long-standing norms of civilian control and oversight of the military.​​
• Democratic members say their effort is aimed at avoiding another open-ended conflict, insisting that preventing an unauthorized war in Venezuela is part of a broader fight to restore Congress’ war powers and avert further political and military escalation.​​