Springfield, MA – Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement after President Trump conducted an unauthorized military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
“In all my years in Congress, this is one of the most blatant disregards of congressional war power that I have witnessed. As we have seen time and again, military operations that are conducted prior to thorough debate and the establishment of long-term goals too often end in prolonged conflict and unnecessary loss of life. Venezuela poses no imminent threat against the United States, yet President Trump is putting the lives of our service members on the line without any clear military objective. A deeply flawed regime and corrupt leader does not justify unilateral military action when no imminent threat to the United States exists and Congress has not authorized the use of force.
“Democrats voted in favor of two war powers resolutions to rein in this executive overreach and reaffirm that decisions of war rest with the people’s representative. It is time our Republican colleagues join us in doing the same. Members of Congress do not serve under presidents of the United States; we serve with them. Republicans need to exercise their role as a coequal branch of government and fulfill their constitutional obligation to serve as a check on the president. If not, we risk dragging the United States into another war, one which the American people do not want.”
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