Stop Unauthorized U.S. Bombing Of Civilian Vessels in the Caribbean

CONGRESS MUST HALT UNAUTHORIZED LETHAL STRIKES ON SMALL VESSELS As a constituent, I urge you to publicly oppose reported U.S. bombing raids in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific targeting small vessels allegedly carrying narcotics. I also urge you to reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over any sustained use of military force. Credible reporting indicates that since September 2025 U.S. forces have conducted more than 36 lethal strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats in international waters, striking roughly 36 vessels and resulting in over 100 reported deaths. No comprehensive public accounting of casualties or targeting errors has been released. These actions risk expanding the use of wartime force beyond its intended purpose and normalizing its use in law-enforcement contexts without clear statutory authorization or democratic oversight. THE STRIKES RAISE SERIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY CONCERNS Article I assigns Congress the power to authorize sustained hostilities. The War Powers Resolution requires notification and limits unilateral executive military action absent congressional approval. If these operations constitute a sustained pattern rather than isolated incidents, treating them as outside War Powers constraints would dangerously expand unilateral executive war-making authority. Using military force as a substitute for law-enforcement interdiction also risks bypassing existing drug-interdiction statutes and congressional intent governing maritime counter-narcotics operations. THE OPERATIONS MAY BREACH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND MARITIME OBLIGATIONS International law permits lethal force outside armed conflict only when strictly necessary to protect life. Attacks on vessels suspected of trafficking - without imminent threat, judicial process, or verified combatant status - may violate the U.N. Charter’s limits on the use of force and international human rights protections. Sinkings also create grave risks for fishermen, migrants, and other civilian mariners who may be misidentified. Maritime conventions and longstanding rescue obligations require preservation of life at sea and rescue of survivors. THESE STRIKES DAMAGE U.S. MORAL AUTHORITY AND GLOBAL STANDING Lethal force without due process safeguards undermines the United States’ credibility when advocating rule-of-law standards and human rights protections worldwide. Allies may view such actions as precedent for bypassing international norms, while adversaries exploit them for propaganda. This erosion of moral authority weakens coalition building, diplomatic leverage, and long-term security cooperation in regions most affected by narcotics trafficking. CONGRESS MUST EXERCISE OVERSIGHT AND LEGISLATE CLEAR LIMITS (1) Hold immediate hearings requiring DoD, DOJ, State, and SOUTHCOM to disclose the legal rationale, targeting standards, strike frequency, and casualty assessments. (2) Require release of legal opinions, rules of engagement, and strike reports to the fullest extent possible so Congress and the public can evaluate legality and compliance. (3) Enact legislation prohibiting lethal military force against suspected trafficking vessels absent explicit Congressional authorization and requiring a law-enforcement-first approach emphasizing interdiction, arrest, evidence preservation, and rescue obligations. Thank you.