U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Langhorne), who has represented Pennsylvania’s 1st District in Congress since 2017, issued a statement outlining his position on U.S. foreign policy toward Venezuela.
Fitzpatrick described Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro as an “illegitimate narco-terror dictator.” He said, “He terrorized his people, dismantled democratic institutions, and turned the machinery of government into a state-backed criminal enterprise—exporting drugs and cartel violence into the United States, with devastating consequences for hundreds of thousands of American lives. His ouster and prosecution are long overdue. We are thankful for the incredible bravery of the men and women of the U.S. military and our national security professionals.”
He also commented on U.S. involvement in international affairs: “The only country that the United States of America should be ‘running’ is the United States of America. The United States should join the international community in monitoring and overseeing a free and fair election in Venezuela, allowing the Venezuelan people a pathway to a true democracy.”
Fitzpatrick addressed issues regarding constitutional responsibility and congressional oversight over military force: “We must all place paramount importance on lawful process and constitutional responsibility. The Authorized Use of Military Force (AUMF) resolutions have been interpreted by multiple presidents, under multiple scenarios, to cover groups and situations not initially envisioned, leading to debates about the balance of power between the Article I and Article II branches of government. As the Chairman of the CIA Subcommittee on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, we will continue our coordination and collaboration with CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Important information will be shared in forthcoming briefings, and we will continue our active role of proper congressional oversight. What is already clear, however, is this: terrorists, tyrants, dictators, and drug lords must always be met by justice and the rule of law; the extraordinary men and women of our military and intelligence community are the finest in the world; and the future of a free and democratic Venezuela belongs to the Venezuelan people alone.”
Fitzpatrick was born in Philadelphia in 1973 and currently lives in Levittown. He graduated from La Salle University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1996 before earning his Juris Doctor from Pennsylvania State University’s Carlisle campus in 2001.
