Sponsors (33)
The bill increases congressional control and short-term fiscal predictability by forbidding unauthorized military action related to Venezuela, but it reduces executive flexibility and may delay or complicate rapid responses to threats involving U.S. personnel or interests.
Congress and the American public: requires a new declaration or statutory authorization before using military force against Venezuela, increasing congressional oversight of such decisions.
U.S. service members and their families: reduces the risk of U.S. military involvement in Venezuela during the covered period, lowering the chance of deployment there.
Taxpayers and federal agencies: prevents federal spending on unauthorized military operations related to Venezuela during the covered period, improving short-term fiscal predictability.
U.S. military personnel and national security decision-makers: limits the President's ability to respond quickly to emerging threats involving Venezuela, potentially delaying defensive actions.
Federal agencies and military commanders: may create legal and operational uncertainty about what actions qualify under War Powers exceptions, producing interagency disputes and implementation delays.
U.S. personnel and American interests in Venezuela: if Congress withholds authorization, the United States could be limited in protecting personnel or interests there without time-consuming legislative action.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits federal funds for any military force in or against Venezuela through Dec 31, 2026, unless Congress declares war or enacts a War Powers Resolution–compliant authorization.
Prohibits the use of federal funds for any military force in or against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from enactment through December 31, 2026, unless Congress either declares war on Venezuela or enacts a specific statutory authorization for the use of force that complies with the War Powers Resolution. It allows a narrow exception for uses of force that fall within the War Powers Resolution's existing emergency exception (section 2(c)). The restriction applies across all federal agencies that would administer or obligate funds for such military operations during the covered period.
Official title: To prohibit the use of funds to use military force in or against Venezuela, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 19, 2025 by Seth Moulton · Last progress December 19, 2025