Removal of the Use of United States Forces for Hostilities Within or Against Venezuela

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States is now running Venezuela from Washington.

On January 3, the President ordered a military operation to capture Nicolas Maduro and install the President's hand-picked successor, Delcy Rodriguez, as the interim president.

President Trump went to war, removed a leader, and established a puppet government.

The President executed this transition when the most popular opposition leader, Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, was out of the country. If he wanted to, the President could help her return to Venezuela. It is telling that he is not.

Article I of the Constitution of the United States makes it clear that Congress has the sole authority to declare war.

The President, in taking these actions without our consent, has trampled on the separation of powers and taken the American people into yet another war that they do not want and cannot afford.

People are wondering and they are asking: What was it for? Was it to remove the socialists? No, the socialists are still in power. Delcy Rodriguez is a true believer in the same ideology and party that Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro championed.

Was it to remove drug dealers in the hemisphere? No, the same Venezuelan Government that he says is dealing drugs is still in charge because of him.

So clearly this is not about socialists, and it is not about drugs.

Donald Trump has said this is about oil and enriching multibillion- dollar companies over the will of the American people.

Congress, unfortunately, has not stood up to his despotic actions.

He is not listening to Congress or to the American people. He has threatened military action against Greenland, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama; and he has threatened to keep sidestepping Congress if you will let him.

At a time when Americans are struggling to pay for rent, groceries, and childcare, they don't want us to spend billions in Venezuela. They would rather we spend that money here.

But somebody is getting rich.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump has set up offshore bank accounts in Qatar outside the U.S. system, and only he knows where the money is going.

There is a $500 million slush fund that the President is controlling right now. We are not going to benefit from that.

Now, I ask my colleagues who have not joined us: How long will you stand by and be on the sidelines of the most consequential decision a country can make, to go to war?

Are we a Congress or are we cowards?

Will you stand up for the American people, and do what is right?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source