Momentum Building for Curtailing Presidential Power on Tariffs
Momentum is building for a bill that would prevent President Donald Trump from imposing tariffs on lumber, semiconductors or medicines without congressional approval -- if the bill could overcome a presidential veto before those tariffs are imposed.
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The bipartisan bill, introduced April 3 by Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., added as sponsors Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Todd Young, R-Ind., in addition to four more Democrats.
Cantwell said on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, April 6, that the additional sponsors "shows the anxiety that people have. I'm sure if they listen to their constituents, consumer challenges are already starting to surface. And certainly the stock market's impact on retirement income is shaking a lot of people."
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., was noncommital about the effort on the same show. "We will see which way the discussion goes," he said.
The bill wouldn't sunset any of the tariffs Trump imposed in either his first or second term, on China, Mexico, Canada, steel, aluminum and autos. It only applies to new tariffs, which would expire after 60 days if Congress doesn't approve.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said on the same show that he would be introducing the same bill in the House on April 7. "It will be harder to pass this in the House, no doubt. I think if we get 60 votes in the Senate it will put pressure on the House to look at this. And if we continue to see the stock market go a certain direction or if we see inflation or unemployment shift in a bad way, I think then this bill becomes a very viable bill," he said.
"And it's time that Congress restores its authorities here. And the Constitution is clear, the House and the Senate, Congress has the power of tariffs and taxes. And we gave some of that power to executive branch. And I think, in hindsight, that was a mistake."
Other members of Congress are asking Republicans in power to do more to stop the tariff hikes.
New Democrat Coalition, a group that represents centrist Democrats, issued a statement from NDC Chair Brad Schneider, D-Ill., calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to allow a bill to stop the trade war to advance. Longtime NDC members have introduced a bill terminating the emergencies underlying tariffs on Mexico and Canada, as well as a bill that would clarify that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) cannot be used to hike tariffs, and a bill to repeal Section 338.
"Today, less than a week after Trump’s declaration of the largest sales tax in U.S. history, global markets continued their free fall caused by tariff-based recession fears. But Trump either doesn’t understand -- or more likely doesn’t care -- about the economic devastation resulting from his idiotic and volatile policies," Schneider said.
Senate Banking Committee Democrats, led by ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wrote to Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., asking him to hold a hearing, since Banking has some jurisdiction over IEEPA, and said the global tariffs are not strategic. "The President’s tariffs also raise concerns about whether he will repeat mistakes from his first term in handing out exceptions to well-connected friends or companies at the expense of everyone else," they wrote.