After President Donald Trump’s attack on Venezuela, Democrats publicly criticized him for starting a war without approval from Congress and Republicans privately grumbled that he did not notify them in advance.

The monthslong massing of U.S. forces in the Caribbean was hardly a secret — and Congress had plenty of chances to try to block an attack in advance.

“Everything here is extraordinarily illegal, and Congress has a mechanism to stop it.”

Since the Trump administration began striking alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean in September, there have been four failed votes on resolutions seeking to stop unauthorized attacks on either the boats strikes or Venezuelan soil. They all fell short.

Lawmakers are now preparing for another vote this week on a resolution in the Senate, their latest opportunity to pump the brakes.

“We have had the violation of international law, the U.N. charter, the violation of the territorial integrity of Venezuela, and the kidnapping of a sitting head of state, without going to Congress, without telling Congress beforehand,” said Heather Brandon-Smith, the legislative director of foreign policy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation. “Everything here is extraordinarily illegal, and Congress has a mechanism to stop it through voting for these war powers resolutions.”

Four Failed Votes

Every member of Congress has had two opportunities to cast their vote on military action in or around Venezuela. Two resolutions each have come up for a public vote in the House and Senate.

The first round of debate came on October 8, when Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., sponsored a........

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