Overview
- Senators are set to vote Thursday on a Tim Kaine–Rand Paul resolution to require ending unauthorized hostilities in or against Venezuela, the third such effort after a 49–51 failure in November.
- Administration officials held classified briefings this week, but many lawmakers said key questions remain as the Justice Department’s legal opinion stays classified and officials describe the raid as a law-enforcement operation.
- U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas and transferred him to New York, where he pleaded not guilty, while President Trump has said the U.S. will control Venezuela’s oil and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described plans to sell up to 50 million barrels as leverage.
- The vote follows months of maritime pressure that included strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats that killed more than 100 people and repeated tanker seizures, with two more vessels linked to Venezuela targeted on Wednesday.
- Even if the Senate passes the measure, it faces a Republican-led House and an expected veto, as Speaker Mike Johnson argues the U.S. is not at war and some Republicans weigh backing tighter oversight.