NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia’s U.S. Senators are sharing their thoughts on the War Powers Resolution, voted on in the Senate Thursday in response to the Trump Administration’s actions in Venezuela, which have involved Hampton Roads-based military ships and personnel.
With a 52-47 vote, the War Powers Resolution was one step closer Thursday to being out of the Senate and on to the House.
Watch: War Powers Resolution heads to Senate as push to curb Venezuela actions grows
The vote moved the resolution out of committee. Virginia U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine had been pushing for the vote.
“The framers of our Constitution said we should not be at war without Congress. Presidents have to respect that," Kaine said.
The resolution is an attempt to prevent President Donald Trump for taking anymore military action in Venezuela without getting approval from Congress first.
Prior to the vote, Kaine spoke on the Senate floor.
Watch: Kaine calls for oversight as Trump announces Venezuela oil tanker blockade
“We’re all humans in this place and one of the things we try to do is minimize votes we might regret," Kaine said. "No one has ever regretted a vote that just says ‘Mr. President, before you send our sons and daughters to war, come to Congress.”
Both Kaine and Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark Warner voted for the resolution.
As of Thursday, the next step was for the resolution to be debated and voted on in the Senate. If it passes, it would then go to the House. If it’s voted on there and passes, it would go to the President to be signed into law. News 3 asked Warner what he would like to see Congress do If the resolution doesn't pass.
Watch: Maduro taken into U.S. custody: Venezuelan restaurant owner reacts to change
“Are there ways to use the power of the purse, the appropriations tool, to cut back on some of his preferred spending. That, unfortunately, as you well know is a much longer process," said Warner.
News 3 reached out to Virginia U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents much of Hampton Roads, to try to find out how she planned to vote if and when the resolution was taken up in the House. She did not respond by the deadline for this story. In an interview with News 3 January 5, she said she doesn’t believe the President’s actions require Congressional approval.
“The President was acting well within his legal jurisdiction to protect the homeland. We’ve seen other presidents take these same actions," Kiggans said.
