Reciprocal Tariffs Emergency Challenged Again in Senate
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he participated this week in the reintroduction of a resolution to terminate the reciprocal tariffs emergency because "that's one of the keys to holding down costs. The President said that was his top priority, and he basically has run as aggressively and quickly as he could to get out from under it. And what we're doing, in a bipartisan way, is saying: If you're serious about holding down costs, you have to go out and fix these horrible tariffs that are jacking up costs all over."
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The resolution was introduced Oct. 7, 180 days after the first reciprocal tariffs resolution was introduced in the Senate. Any member can challenge an emergency declared under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, every 180 days.
In late April, the resolution failed in the Senate 49-49, though the two senators who were absent were expected to support the attempt to rein in the president's tariff approach. All Democrats present voted to end the emergency; most Republicans said the president should be given the space to negotiate (see 2504300042).
Even if this resolution passes the Senate in a few weeks, House Republicans have changed the rules of the House to prevent votes on tariff-related resolutions. However, even if the House did hold a vote, there would need to be veto-proof two-thirds' majorities in both chambers to end the tariffs.
Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., began the push to stop IEEPA tariffs with a resolution on tariffs on Canada that did pass, 51-48, in early April (see 2504020006).
All these resolutions are required to get a vote under the law; in the case of the Canada resolution, the vote was held 22 days after it was introduced.
Kaine said at the Capitol Oct. 9 that the second Canada resolution, and a resolution to end the additional 40% tariff on some Brazilian goods, will exit the Senate Finance Committee around Oct. 15 or 16. "We don't always have the vote the day that they ripen, but once they ripen, then we get in a schedule and discussion with leadership," he said.
He said he filed the second reciprocal tariff resolution as soon as he could. "We're going to keep challenging every six months on all these things."
The Canada resolution has 15 co-sponsors, including Republicans Paul, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. The reciprocal tariff resolution has six co-sponsors, including Paul. The Brazil tariff resolution has nine co-sponsors, including Paul.