What’s really happening with Venezuela

I want to take a moment to explain what's happening with Venezuela, and why I'm concerned with the path we're on now.

Once again, we're seeing U.S. foreign policy driven by oil, regime-change, and gunboat diplomacy.

Trump's military action in Venezuela was carried out without authorization from Congress, directly violating the Constitution's clear requirement that decisions about war rest with the people's representatives.

This was not a limited or isolated action. Moves aimed at toppling the Maduro government carry serious and unpredictable consequences. They risk destabilizing the region, drawing the United States into managing Venezuela's future, and putting American lives and taxpayer dollars on the line for years to come.

There's another consequence that should concern every American: when the U.S. disregards sovereignty and international norms, it weakens our moral authority. That makes it harder to stand up to aggression elsewhere — whether it's Putin in Ukraine or threats to Taiwan from China.

Congress must get off the sidelines. Under Republican leadership, Congress has failed to protect its power of the purse, failed to hold oversight hearings, and has failed to protect its responsibility and authority regarding authorizing war.

The Founders placed the power to authorize war with Congress for a reason: to prevent exactly this kind of unchecked escalation. It is long past time for Congress to reassert its Constitutional role and demand accountability, transparency, and a foreign policy rooted in law, not the impulse of one person.

I'll keep pushing to defend the Constitution and ensure that decisions of war and peace are made the right way.

Onward,

Jeff