The Senate on Tuesday blocked an effort to prevent President Trump from launching an attack on Cuba without congressional authorization amid a ramped-up US oil embargo and planning for a potential war against the island nation.
The War Powers Resolution, introduced by Tim Kaine (D-VA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), was blocked from moving forward in a vote of 51-47, with just two Republicans, Senators Rand Paul (KY) and Lisa Murkowski (AK), voting against shelving the bill.
Only one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman, voted with Republicans to block the resolution. Fetterman has also joined Republicans in opposing legislation aimed at halting the US war against Iran.
Ahead of the vote, Kaine said: “Trump’s war against Iran has been a disaster—servicemembers and civilians have died, and gas prices are skyrocketing. Now, he wants a new war with Cuba. My colleagues and I are firm: no new, unnecessary wars.”
The bill included language to end the US blockade, which has created a major humanitarian crisis since Trump ramped it up by cutting off Venezuelan oil shipments and pressured Mexico to also halt its oil exports to the country.
The legislation would have directed the president to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Cuba, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force,” and said that would include the “use of the United States Coast Guard and other components of the Armed Forces to conduct a blockade or quarantine of Cuba.”
In a joint statement, Kaine, Schiff, and Gallego said that Trump had already “ordered an illegal military blockade of Cuba that is causing a man-made humanitarian crisis on the island.”
The vote to block the resolution came after media reports said that the Pentagon was increasing its planning for a potential war with Cuba, a military intervention President Trump has made clear he wants to carry out.
“You know, all my life, I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. You know, when will the United States do it? I do believe I’ll be having the honor of taking Cuba. That’d be a good honor,” the president told reporters last month.
