U.S. military aircraft park on the flight line in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 3, 2026, following military actions against Venezuela in support of Operation Absolute Resolve. (U.S. Air Force)
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday narrowly rejected a resolution that would have forced the removal of U.S. military forces from hostilities against Venezuela not authorized by Congress as Democrats continued efforts to curb President Donald Trump’s military authority in the country.
The resolution failed in a tied 215-215 vote, with two Republicans voting in favor. The vote came a week after Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate to kill a measure that would have forced Trump to seek congressional approval for any military action related to Venezuela.
Two Senate Republicans flipped their vote to help sink the measure after they said Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave them assurances that the president would go to Congress for approval of any future major military operations in Venezuela.
House Republicans cited those commitments in their arguments against the latest war power resolution, the first in the House since an American military raid captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. They repeatedly emphasized that there were no troops remaining on the ground in Venezuela.
“Democrats are asking us to vote on a resolution about a situation that literally does not exist,” said Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We do not have anybody there in Venezuela fighting. There are no tanks on the ground in Caracas, there are no snipers in the tree line.”
But Democrats pointed to the continued presence of military assets in the region, including an aircraft carrier in the Caribbean and more than 10,000 troops, as well as a blockade of Venezuelan oil, as evidence of ongoing military involvement. Trump has said the U.S. could be involved in the country for years to come.
“Our military is still right off the shore of Venezuela, and I know that we want to make sure that we take care of our responsibility as members of the House of Representatives and have the oversight and say to the president, should he decide to strike again, come to the Congress first,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the foreign affairs panel.
The House voted down a similar measure last month alongside another resolution that would have required congressional approval for strikes on boats suspected of smuggling illegal drugs.
The resolution rejected Thursday, sponsored by Democrat Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky, directed the president to “remove United States Armed Forces from Venezuela, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization for use of military force.”
Democrats and Republican advocates of asserting Congress’ constitutional power to declare war have said they will continue forcing votes on war powers resolutions for other countries and territories Trump has threatened, including Greenland, Iran, Colombia and Mexico.
