Senate Democrats are preparing to force a War Powers Act vote this week in response to the Trump administration’s strikes on cartel boats allegedly carrying illegal drugs into the United States.
The Democratic resolution, spearheaded by Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), could come up for a vote as soon as Wednesday. The resolution would prevent the U.S. military from “engaging in hostilities against non-state organizations until formally authorized by Congress.”
The upcoming vote on the privileged resolution comes amid debate over the legality of the White House’s recent offensive in the Caribbean Sea.
Since Sept. 2, the Pentagon has conducted four attacks on boats in the Caribbean. The strikes, targeting boats the U.S. government claims were cartel vessels smuggling drugs into the United States, have killed 21 people.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers criticized the U.S. attacks and argued the White House has kept Congress in the dark about the strikes. U.S. officials have accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of involvement in drug trafficking and dramatically stepped up diplomatic and military pressure against the country.
Last week, the Trump administration sent a notice to congressional committees that it determined the United States is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with Latin American cartels deemed “designated terrorist organizations.” These include Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico and El Salvador-based MS-13.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined Democrats in slamming the attacks and raised concern that innocent people could be getting killed.
Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated congressional approval may be needed for the Trump administration’s go-it-alone campaign in the Caribbean. In an interview last week, Thune told us Congress should weigh in if the United States enters into “sustained” military action against the cartels.
