WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives on Thursday narrowly rejected a Democratic-led resolution barring President Donald Trump from further using military force in Venezuela without explicit congressional authorization.

Two Republicans joined all 213 Democrats in voting for the resolution, resulting in a 215-215 tie, which is enough to defeat it.

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"This is crazy. We can't be asleep at the switch -- no oversight, no hearing, no votes, just blind obedience to the executive. That's not the way this place is supposed to run," House Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern, who led the resolution, said on the House floor.

Republicans dismissed the measure as unnecessary, saying the United States is not at war with Venezuela.

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The Senate earlier this month rejected a comparable war powers measure after two Republican senators reversed course under pressure from the White House.

The US military launched an attack on Venezuela and captured the country's leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Jan 3.