The U.S. House of Representatives shot down two resolutions that would have forced President Donald Trump to get congressional approval before launching strikes against Venezuela and drug smuggling boats.
Republican lawmakers barely beat back the attempts, rejecting the measures with final votes at 213–211 and 216 to 210, respectively. This comes just one day after Trump escalated the pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro over drug trafficking, ordering a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers going to and from the country.
The votes were mostly along party lines. Republican Reps. Thomas Massie, Kentucky, and Don Bacon, Nebraska, joined Democrats in backing the proposal to end airstrikes on drug smuggling boats. In the measure to bar an attack against Venezuela without congressional approval, Massie and Bacon were joined by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in voting with Democrats in backing the proposal….