[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S64-S65]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               VENEZUELA

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today having just come out of a 
secure briefing about the arrest of Nicolas Maduro.
  Our country has carried out one of the boldest law enforcement 
operations in decades, and we should be very proud. We should celebrate 
it and be proud of the men and women in uniform who made sure this was 
successful. This administration had the courage to do what was right, 
what needed to be done; and America, Venezuela, and the world are much 
safer as a result of it.
  Operation Absolute Resolve was conducted for one reason: to bring to 
justice a murderous dictator and an indicted drug trafficker. Maduro is 
an outlaw, and he is now in custody. The Trump administration indicted 
him in 2020 on drug trafficking charges. President Trump put a $15 
million bounty on him. The Biden administration agreed, and they 
actually increased that amount to $25 million. Neither the first Trump 
administration, nor the Biden administration, nor the current 
administration recognized Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela.
  Now, we are not alone in that view. Many of our allies around the 
world have taken the same position, hold the same belief. Yet only 
America had the resolve and the resources to bring Maduro to justice. 
No American lives were lost, as we learned in our briefing and as we 
have seen, and it was a textbook example and demonstration of peace 
through strength. The message to the entire world is clear: If you 
poison and kill the American people, you are going to be held 
accountable.
  Arresting Maduro also advances America's national security. Maduro's 
allies and enablers are united in their commitment to undermine our 
Nation: China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, even Hezbollah. Communist China was 
buying half a million barrels a day of oil from Venezuela--day after 
day, after day. In exchange for that oil, the Chinese Communist Party 
loaned Venezuela over $100 billion. Just hours before his arrest, 
Maduro was meeting in Caracas with officials of the Chinese Communist 
Party. This axis of aggression is weaker now because President Trump 
has taken decisive action, and our men and women in uniform were able 
to carry it out.
  All around the world, people are seeing dictatorships failing. That 
is why Venezuelans are celebrating in the streets today. It is also why 
Iranians are uniting today across their country to protest the 
suppressive dictatorship. They have good reasons to demand their 
freedom.
  Yet, today, there are Democrats in this Chamber--some may come to the 
floor later today--who are using the arrest of Nicolas Maduro not to 
advance American interests, no. They are using it to attack President 
Trump. This week, they are going to force a vote on another War Powers 
Resolution to tie the hands of the President. Let me be clear about 
what that resolution does and what it does not do. It does not reassert 
Congress's powers. It does not make America stronger. It makes America 
weaker and less safe. It will weaken the President's legitimate 
constitutional authority.
  This body, the U.S. Senate, is being asked whether the President of 
the United States has the authority to arrest indicted criminals. Of 
course he does. Democrats want to weaken the President's ability to 
enforce the law of the land. That is the wrong message to send to 
hardened drug traffickers and to dictators.
  It is interesting because, for years, Democrats were for holding 
Maduro accountable. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, 
tweeted in 2019 that ``getting rid of Maduro is good for the United 
States.'' That is one of the Democrats who are opposing what the 
President of the United States has done. He called for it in the past.
  Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, who will be on this 
floor in a few minutes, came to this very floor in 2020 and complained 
about President Trump, saying President Trump ``hasn't brought an end 
to the Maduro regime.''
  Senator Chris Van Hollen from the Foreign Relations Committee, a 
Democrat from Maryland, told MSNBC just last year--he said:

       [T]he United States needs to work with its partners and 
     allies in the region to ratchet up the pressure [on 
     Venezuela].

  Democrats know absolutely that President Trump did the absolute right 
thing. They won't admit it on this floor. They prefer to play politics 
instead. Within the last several days, Senator Schumer called arresting 
Maduro ``reckless.'' What a change and reversal in tune. Senator Van 
Hollen said it was an illegal ``act of war,'' a complete reversal of 
his previous positions.

[[Page S65]]

  Senator Murphy told CNN on Sunday that Venezuela, he said, is ``not a 
security threat'' to the United States. He sure viewed it differently 
in the past. Evidently, they were all for it before they were against 
it. That is what we see with these Democrats: something they are for, 
President Trump does it, and now they are against it.
  The question I have for Democrats is, Do they no longer think that 
arresting Maduro is a good thing? They supported it in the past--every 
one of them.
  Arresting Maduro was not partisan or political. It was a 
professionally executed law enforcement action conducted by a superb 
team of dedicated military professionals, and I congratulate each and 
every one of them. Every parent in this country should be happy today 
about this arrest because now their children will be safer from 
poisoning and death. This arrest will save thousands of American 
lives--lives that would have been lost due to Maduro's drug 
trafficking.
  And what are the numbers? Was it 80,000 American lives lost since 
2020 as a result of the poison that Maduro has forced into this 
country? On Saturday, President Trump took bold action, and he took 
action to protect the citizens of this great country.
  We should celebrate the success in Venezuela. We should take great 
pride in the brave men and women who carried out the successful 
mission. Republicans are going to continue to stand on the side of 
safety, security, and America peace through strength.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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