Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., issued a report that he said shows how the president is using agencies in a "pay-to-play scheme," including in the case of a lifted withhold release order for forced labor.
House Republicans stopped an effort to end the 40% additional tariffs on some Brazilian imports in an evening vote Sept. 15, though two Republicans voted with Democrats. Democrats, led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., sought to force a vote on the matter through a discharge petition, which can force a vote on a matter the House leadership does not want to take up. The effort came up short by a margin of 200-198.
Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., introduced a bill to restore Russia to the list of countries covered by the Jackson-Vanik Act. That act removes permanent normal trade relations for countries covered by it.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the leading Republican for a secondary tariffs bill supported by 85 senators, said that he talked to President Donald Trump on Sept. 11 about "moving forward" with secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas. He said he was encouraging him to look upon the Russia sanctions bill as something that would help him, "basically, giving him the authority to do what he's doing, which would help him in court."
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, said he has met with customs brokers each of the last three days, and their main ask is no more executive orders changing tariffs that are released on a Friday afternoon or night and take effect on Monday.
Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and eight other Democrats introduced a bill to require that small businesses receive refunds of the reciprocal tariffs within 90 days.
Two Republican senators took to the Senate floor this week to reiterate their support for increasing sanctions on Russia to pressure it to end its war against Ukraine.
The National Taxpayers Union, an anti-tax group, is arguing that House Republicans should not, for the third time, change the rules of the House to block a vote on the underlying emergencies that allowed the president to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., who has led the charge to terminate the underlying emergencies for the president's tariffs, said he doesn't know if Republicans will change course and allow a vote on his latest resolution, which would end the 40% tariffs on about 39% of Brazilian imports.
House Ways and Means Committee members met with Mexico's Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard about the upcoming sunset review of USMCA, and two Republicans on the committee said most of the conversation was about how useful the free trade agreement is.