Republican senators sunk a war powers resolution Thursday that would have blocked President Trump’s administration from potentially conducting military strikes inside Venezuela without the authorization of Congress, as the White House’s campaign against alleged drug-trafficking boats on both sides of South America persists.

The joint resolution, which was introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) last month, was quelled in a 49-51 Senate vote Thursday. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rand Paul (Ky.) joined the Democrats in backing the measure.

The resolution “directs the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities within or against Venezuela, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force.”

“We should not be in war without Congress,” Kaine said Thursday ahead of the vote.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a defense hawk, argued on the Senate floor that the War Powers Act is a “constitutional infringement” on the president’s ability to conduct military operations since the law “takes away the ability to decide military matters and it resides with us.”

“If you can terminate a commander in chief’s decision through the War Powers Act, then that constitutional authority has been taken by Congress and that would be a disaster for this country,” Graham said Thursday.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Thursday that he does not believe Americans want to “topple” the Venezuelan regime in “hopes that something better might follow.”........

© The Hill