CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Peter Welch (D-VT)

S.Amdt. 4139

S.Amdt. 4139 · Senate amendment

A Democratic amendment with 8 Democratic cosponsors · See all 9 cosponsors

Changes H.R. 4016 — Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026

Offered

Offered, and not voted on yet. Most amendments never get a vote: the Senate takes up the bill and moves on without them.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. Pending Consideration

What this amendment would do

SA 4139 is an amendment proposed for bill H.R. 4016, which focuses on appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.

The purpose of this amendment is to prohibit the use of funds from the Department of Defense or any other government department or agency to conduct hostilities regarding Venezuela.

The amendment adds specific rules to this prohibition:

  • Funds cannot be used for hostilities unless there is a specific statutory authorization enacted after this Act or a congressional authorization consistent with section 2(c) of the War Powers Resolution.
  • The prohibition does not stop the United States from defending itself, its citizens, or its personnel from an armed attack or an imminent armed attack.
  • The United States can still provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela and conduct lawful counternarcotics operations that are not hostilities.

The amendment defines hostilities as any situation where United States forces use lethal or potentially lethal force, including remote deployment. It also states that it does not supersede any requirements of the War Powers Resolution.