Successful Operation to Arrest Nicolas Maduro

Floor Speech

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Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Trump administration's actions in capturing Nicolas Maduro.

Over the past week, Democrats have claimed that Maduro's capture was unconstitutional, illegal, and violated international norms. Democrats argue that Congress must declare war or give explicit authorization before the President can act.

Article II is clear. The President is the Commander in Chief, and the Constitution has never required a declaration of war for every use of force, national security or law enforcement operation against criminal actors who threaten the United States.

President Clinton acted in Kosovo. President Obama acted in Libya. President Biden even ordered strikes against terrorist leaders. In none of those cases did Democrats suddenly discover a constitutional crisis.

The War Powers Resolution recognizes that the President may act first and notify Congress afterwards. There is no legal requirement that Congress be notified before the President takes action. That framework has governed American foreign policy for more than 50 years.

Maduro is not a legitimate head of state. He is a criminal defendant under United States law who was charged and indicted in 2020 by the Department of Justice for drug trafficking and other related crimes.

There is legal precedent directly on point. All of these arguments made by the Democrats that it is illegal should look no further than President Bush's capture of Manuel Noriega in Panama in 1989. Like the Maduro operation, the Panama invasion occurred without congressional authorization.

Like Noriega, Maduro faces Federal drug trafficking charges. Like Noriega, he was captured through military operations conducted without congressional authorization. Like Noriega, he will surely argue head of state immunity and unlawful seizure. However, just like the court found in Noriega's case, he will be prosecuted for his crimes, and the actions that led to his seizure are legally sound, as they follow a 36- year-old template validated by Federal courts.

Mr. Speaker, to the Americans whose communities have been devastated by drugs, to the families who have lost loved ones, and to the people of our hemisphere who have suffered under his criminal regime, this action sends a clear message: Narcoterrorist dictators are not immune from consequences, and the United States will not stand by while our citizens continue to be poisoned and murdered by the Maduro regime.

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