Sen. Rand Paul comments on future vote on limiting president’s war powers

WASHINGTON (CNN) – On Thursday, five senate Republicans voted with Democratic senators to allow a future vote on limiting the president’s powers.

The vote comes less than a week after Nicolás Maduro, the longtime Venezuelan leader, and his wife were captured in an overnight raid in Caracas.

They were both taken to the U.S., where they now face federal charges.

Sen. Rand Paul (R) Kentucky stated the following on Thursday:

“This isn’t personal towards President Trump. I’ve talked to him several times this week, worked with him on trying to engage in diplomacy. I’m glad that he’s engaging in diplomacy in Colombia. I’m very complimentary of that. There’s a lot of good things he’s doing, on fentanyl shutting down the southern border, I think has slowed the arrival of fentanyl into our country and likely is saving lives. But on this issue it’s a constitutional debate and what I said to him is it’s more of an academic debate than it is an anti-Donald Trump. I think it’s easy for presidents to take things personally, but in this case it’s not meant to be personally. I’ve supported the president well over 90% of the time over the last year. As chairman of Homeland Security, I’ve approved virtually all, if not all, of their requests for people, so I’m still supportive of the president, but that doesn’t mean I can just sort of give up on a deeply held position that Congress was intended to be the body that declares war.”

The full measure is expected to pass next week, which would require 51 votes in the Senate.

However, it would still need to withstand a full amendment process.

RELATED: McConnell comments on war powers, next steps in Venezuela

Later this month, the House is expected to take a similar vote on a measure limiting Trump’s power to militarily intervene in Venezuela.