WASHINGTON, United States (CMC)–Three United States senators on Friday introduced a war powers resolution in their bid to restrain US President Donald Trump on Cuba.

Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia, Adam Schiff of California and Ruben Gallego of Arizona said they introduced the resolution “to ensure any US participation in hostilities against Cuba is explicitly authorised by Congress.

“The resolution is privileged and may be called up for a vote after 10 days,” said the senators in a joint statement. “President Trump has engaged in a military blockade of Cuba and has recently threatened direct military action against Cuba.

“He has said that the US would ‘take care of Cuba’ and suggested Cuba would ‘fall soon’ and should make a deal ‘before it is too late,’” they added.

The joint resolution directs “the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Republic of Cuba that have not been authorised by Congress” and that “Congress has the sole power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the United States Constitution.”

The resolution notes that the US Congress “has not declared war upon Cuba or upon any person or organisation within Cuba, nor enacted a specific statutory authorisation for the use of military force within or against Cuba.

“The use of force by the United States Armed Forces within or against Cuba, including the use of the United States Coast Guard and other components of the Armed Forces to conduct a blockade or quarantine of Cuba, constitutes the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities within the meaning of section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1543(a)),” it adds.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, asked: “When will President Trump understand that Americans want lower prices, not more unnecessary wars? Only Congress has the power to declare war under the Constitution, but he operates with the belief that the US military is a palace guard, ordering military action in the Caribbean, Venezuela, and Iran without Congress’ authorisation or any explanation for his actions to the American people.”

“We shouldn’t risk our sons and daughters’ lives at the whims of any one person,” Kaine added. “After President Trump’s recent blockade and threats of military action in Cuba, I’m introducing this War Powers Resolution to prevent our Armed Forces from engaging in hostilities unless authorised by Congress.”

Schiff said that “the American people have spoken loud and clear that they do not want any more costly wars of choice that skyrocket prices at home.

“Instead, Donald Trump has bypassed Congress’s sole authority to declare war with attacks on Iran and Venezuela, and at the solemn cost of seven servicemembers whose lives have been lost,” he said. “The president’s saber rattling toward Cuba makes clear where his sights are next.

“Congress must make its voice heard, or we risk involvement in another risky war of choice and losing our constitutionally granted authorities forever,” he added.

Gallego said, “As if the disaster of the Iran War and the resulting spike in oil prices weren’t enough, Trump is now threatening to intervene in Cuba as well.

“He ran on America First, but now it’s clear he’s become a puppet of the war hawks in his party,” Gallego said. “The American people want nothing to do with nation building—they want lower prices, good health care, and affordable homes, not a new war to satisfy neoconservatives in South Florida.”

Earlier this week, Trump told a news conference in Florida that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was negotiating with Cuba’s leadership, and that his administration plans to focus on the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island after the war with Iran.

“It may be a friendly takeover, ⁠it may not be a friendly takeover,” Trump said.

Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants who migrated to Miami, Florida.

On Friday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed that his administration has held talks with top Trump administration officials aimed at resolving their differences.

“Cuban officials recently held conversations with officials from the US government to look for solutions to the bilateral differences that exist,” he told reporters.