Military and Defense

We strongly condemn the decision by Venezuela's regime-controlled court to suspend the democratic opposition's primary election process, which mobilized 2.4 million Venezuelan voters who nominated María Corina Machado as the opposition candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Read more »

Support for defending Israel should not come with conditions, be it cutting foreign military financing by 30% or offsetting aid in a time of crucial need. I am deeply disturbed by Speaker Johnson playing political games with Israeli emergency funding, something our nation has never done in a time of crisis. Read more »

It’s imperative that the U.S. responds immediately and forcefully with snapback sanctions to any violation of this accord, bearing in mind the regime’s repeated failures to live up to its promises. Read more »

The vicious terrorist organization, Hamas launched premeditated terror attacks this morning that sent thousands of rockets from Gaza, with terrorists invading Southern Israel, killing, maiming, and kidnapping innocent civilians. Reports of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza are unconscionable. Israel is at war, not by choice, and has every right to defend itself and its people against this barbarous onslaught. The United States stands in solidarity with Israel not only during this tragic day but every day. Read more »

“With backing from America’s most dangerous adversaries, Maduro and his cronies continue to draw from the dictatorial playbook to the detriment of Venezuelans,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “This legislation draws a red line when it comes to his desperate attempts to cling to power by disenfranchising his opponents. The U.S. and its allies must stand united in our efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela.” Read more »

President Biden issued a landmark order to re-designate Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans in the United States. This decision will allow Venezuelan migrants who are already here to attain legal status and secure authorization to work and make a secure life for themselves and their families. Read more »

“Venezuelans have endured a decade of suffering under Nicolás Maduro, whose assault on democracy and human rights have precipitated a refugee crisis second only to Ukraine in the 21st century,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “The U.S. can’t solve this problem alone. But it’s imperative that we coordinate with international partners to improve conditions on the ground and advocate for the release of political prisoners while ensuring accountability to lay the groundwork for a future democratic transition.” Read more »

“We have permanently funded a guaranteed health-care fund for toxic-exposed veterans. It’s just, it’s historic,” Wasserman Schultz said Wednesday. She credited the party’s messaging effort, soon after the late April passage of the GOP’s initial plan to cut $4.8 trillion in funding, as critical to highlighting how those cuts would have inevitably led to steep cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Republicans in districts that Biden won in 2020 panicked at that line of attack, prompting GOP leaders to promise to protect VA funding in the final compromise. “It happened because we shamed them into it,” Wasserman Schultz said. Read more »

Extremists are exploiting our online platforms to spread private information and incite violence against vulnerable individuals and groups,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Arming our national security officials and law enforcement with knowledge of how these groups operate and for identifying vulnerabilities and preventing attacks is a first step to protect our communities from harm.” Read more »

Like President Biden, I believe in maintaining sanctions against the Maduro regime and its enablers until we see the restoration of human rights, the release of political prisoners and wrongfully detained Americans, and a framework for free, fair elections. Mr. Maduro’s frequent public gripes regarding these sanctions demonstrate our continued leverage. Read more »