Senate Votes 51-47 to Block Cuba War Powers Resolution

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted 51-47 to block a Democratic-led war powers resolution that would have required congressional approval for any military action against Cuba, including efforts to halt fuel shipments to the island.

The procedural vote, advanced by Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida through a point of order, largely followed party lines. It effectively dismissed the measure, which Democrats argued applied to current U.S. actions such as using the Coast Guard and other assets to intercept oil deliveries from Venezuela. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, a lead sponsor, stated before the vote, "If anyone were doing to the United States what we are doing to Cuba, we would definitely regard it as an act of war." Kaine also described the blockade as causing humanitarian issues, including power and water outages, disruptions to medical care, and rising food prices.

Republicans countered that no troops had been deployed and no active hostilities existed, making the resolution inappropriate. Scott said a war powers vote was not warranted, adding, "President Trump is doing everything he can to bring back freedom and democracy all across Latin America, and we should do...