Overview
- The Senate voted 51-50 to uphold a Republican point of order that halted expedited consideration of the resolution, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
- Sens. Josh Hawley and Todd Young reversed earlier support after receiving assurances that there are no U.S. ground troops in Venezuela and that any major operation would be brought to Congress.
- Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul maintained their backing for the measure, but a White House lobbying push and a letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio helped secure the procedural outcome.
- Democrats advanced the measure after the U.S. raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, as the administration cited a law-enforcement rationale and Republicans argued the fast-track process did not apply without troops on the ground.
- Even with Senate passage unlikely to become law due to House dynamics and a probable veto, officials pledged briefings to Congress, and Rubio is expected to appear before the Foreign Relations Committee.