U.S. Congress expected to vote on act to curb Trump's war-making powers

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate and House are expected to vote soon on a resolution to curb U.S. President Donald Trump's ability to take further military action in Venezuela.

This comes after the Senate earlier this month held a significant procedural vote to advance a war powers resolution in a bid to curb Trump's ability to take further military action in Venezuela without approval from Congress.

The resolution, spearheaded by Democrats and a handful of Republicans, requires the president to seek lawmakers' authorization for any future military actions in Venezuela.

Democrats and Republicans are at odds over the possible legislation, as well as the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the subsequent forcible seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that it is "long past time for Congress to reassert its critical constitutional role in matters of war, peace, diplomacy and trade."

At the same time, the White House is "strongly" against the war powers resolution, as stated in a memo from the Office of Management and Budget.

"Maduro's crimes and other hostile actions have resulted in a predatory incursion into the United States, the destabilization of the Western Hemisphere, massive death and human suffering, and a substantial and ongoing danger posed to our Nation," the memo said.

Trump posted on social media that such legislation "greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President's Authority as Commander in Chief."

While the resolution has enough support to pass the Senate, it must pass the Republican-led House of Representatives, which could be an uphill climb at a time when much of the GOP marches in lockstep with the president.

Moreover, even if it passes, Trump is likely to veto the bill.

While Congress could override a veto, that would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Experts said that it is unlikely.

Many see the vote as largely symbolic, although not all analysts agree with that assessment.

Clay Ramsay, a senior researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua: "The move is not purely symbolic, even though it does not stop Trump from doing as he chooses right now."

"The number of Republican senators willing to oppose him on this just went from two to five," Ramsay said. "The House may not follow suit, but it's increasingly unpredictable."

"Trump will definitely veto any War Power resolution on Venezuela that makes it to his desk. But vetoes are not the most efficient way to consolidate power in the U.S. on the scale that Trump wants," he said.

"In terms of future actions, Democrats could draft bills that specifically limit U.S. activities in Venezuela, or they could draft two bills," Ramsay said.

"I would add that economically, Trump is playing a longer game that involves forcing the (major oil companies) to change their investment plans and sink billions into restoring Venezuela's oil infrastructure," Ramsay added.

On Monday, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Rick Crawford, a Republican, submitted a resolution to trumpet the seizing of Maduro.

A separate bipartisan group of House lawmakers started to whip up support Monday night for new legislation that would curb funding for military actions in NATO territories that do not have Congressional approval.

That comes after Trump's threats to annex Greenland, a territory of NATO member Denmark.

Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua he does not think the proposed Venezuela legislation is purely symbolic.

"If nothing else, we're at a point in the midterm election cycle where it's now clear that at least some Republicans are looking for opportunities to distance themselves from Trump," Galdieri said.

Still, there may not be much that Democrats can do in terms of limiting Trump's plans, some experts said.

"Republicans hold the majority in both chambers of Congress, so the Democrats can't do much to limit or restrain Trump without Republicans joining in," Galdieri said.

He added that "they're limited to whatever tools they have as the minority party -- filibusters, their limited time at hearings, and the like -- but those don't give them a lot of real influence."