[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Venezuela

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I rise today because the United States, 
once again, stands on the brink of a dangerous and unnecessary war, one 
that neither the American people nor the elected representatives whom 
they sent here to Washington have authorized and one that risks yet 
another endless conflict that will drain our coffers and cost American 
lives.
  President Trump took military action against Venezuela without the 
express consent of Congress. The Constitution is clear: The power to 
declare war belongs to the people through their elected Representatives 
in Congress. That authority is not optional; it is not symbolic. It is 
actually a pillar of democratic accountability when it comes to matters 
of war and peace, to life and death.
  The Senate has now spoken with a clear bipartisan voice: Trump must 
end his dangerous and illegal military action in Venezuela now. This 
Senate must speak with a bipartisan voice, especially if there is no 
prior congressional authorization. It must stop today.
  If the Trump administration believes military force against Venezuela 
is necessary, the Constitution provides a clear and lawful path 
forward: go to Congress and make the case to the American people. If 
President Trump cannot make that case, then he has no business 
launching military strikes, killing civilians, and putting American 
servicemembers in harm's way.
  Even after yesterday's classified briefing from ``Secretary of War 
Crimes'' Pete Hegseth, we all left with far more questions than 
answers: What will this unending occupation cost the American people? 
Why did the administration, led by Secretary Rubio, lie about regime 
change? Which is next: Greenland? Cuba? Colombia? Mexico?
  But one answer is perfectly clear: the answer to the question of why 
Trump and Rubio did this. It is obvious. This is not a war for the 
Venezuelan people. It is not a war for democracy. This is an illegal 
war for oil. It is a coup for crude on behalf of big oil companies in 
our country. It is just like ``The Godfather Part I.'' Trump made 
Venezuela an offer it couldn't refuse. Capturing Maduro is the head in 
the bed. We are holding their country hostage for the foreseeable 
future until Venezuela gives up its resources. We are stealing their 
oil at gunpoint.
  Trump told Big Oil CEOs that he would help them if they paid his 
campaign $1 billion just a year ago, and he has already given them 
countless tax breaks and nearly unlimited access to our public lands 
and waters, killing wind, killing solar, killing all-electric vehicles, 
killing anything that gets in the way of the agenda of the oil and 
natural gas industry in our country, and now--now--he is giving them 
Venezuela. We know he told oil execs before and after the invasion 
about his plans for Venezuela, not Members of Congress and not the 
American people.
  He said to the oil companies: Get ready. Something is going to 
happen.
  So the oil companies knew, but the American people did not. The 
President would not brief the U.S. Senate before the invasion. 
Secretary Rubio said that you can't trust the U.S. Senate, but they 
trusted oil companies to know; that they should get ready and that 
something was going to happen. On top of that, he is promising these 
very same oil companies that stand to get rich by selling the oil that 
they will get reimbursed by the American taxpayers whom they already 
charge through the nose for their products.
  This war is not for the American people. It is for oil CEOs to profit 
off of instead of the American people. Chevron's stock? It is up. 
Americans' stock? It is down. Their bill will be paid by everyday 
Americans during the days to come as Trump tries to get us in a new war 
without end.
  The Trump administration must immediately halt further military 
strikes in Venezuela, whether it is at sea or on land, and come to 
Congress if it believes force is justified. If President Trump cannot 
make his case to the American people and our elected representatives, 
then he has no business using military force and putting American 
servicemembers in harm's way.
  So it is absolutely imperative that the Members of the U.S. Senate go 
on record. We are going to uphold our constitutional obligation before 
we commit our military to further operations in Venezuela. We must put 
them on record before they commit our military in Greenland. We must 
put them on record on the Republican side before our troops--our 
military--are committed in Cuba or in Colombia or in Mexico. This body 
must go on record. We must reclaim our constitutional prerogatives that 
are built into article I of the U.S. Constitution. That is the job 
which we must do, and that is what the American people expect from us.
  Mr. President, I want to thank Dan Ohlstein for all of the great 
service which he has given to our country.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote that 
was scheduled for 1:45 be moved up to 1:30, right now.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.