On the first day of higher tariffs for dozens of countries, prominent Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee attacked the policy, while the Republican chairman put a positive spin on soft employment numbers. The Senate minority leader used his daily floor speech to tie the tariffs to broader economic woes, while Republican leadership focused on Democrats' obstructions to prompt confirmation votes for presidential nominees.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., made a joint announcement July 31 that they will request a vote to end the new International Emergency Economic Powers Act declaration for Brazil, that underpins an additional 40% tariff on a portion of Brazil's exports.
Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., expressed frustration this week with the potential impact on the U.S. spirits industry from the Trump administration's tariffs, saying they will continue fighting to repeal duties introduced through both the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Section 232.
On the eve of more tariff hikes, four prominent Senate Democrats decried what they said were so-called deals -- or, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer put it, "a raw deal for the American people."
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., one of the leading populist voices in the Senate, introduced a bill this week that would send checks of at least $600 to most adults who file tax returns, as a rebate for tariff costs.
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., introduced a bill last week that would grant the U.S. trade representative the authority to extend existing 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to autos produced by Chinese firms, no matter where they were assembled.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2026 transportation appropriations bill July 24 that would fully fund the Trump administration’s $40 million for the Federal Maritime Commission. The House version of the bill, which the House Appropriations Committee endorsed July 17, contains the same amount for the FMC (see 2507140005).
Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens, two Republicans from Ohio, asked the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative this week to open a safeguard investigation on imports of lamb and mutton. They said Utah sheep ranchers will be submitting a new Section 201 petition to the International Trade Commission.
The Congressional Dads Caucus introduced a package of six bills this week that would, if passed, remove baby formula, high chairs, baby bottles, baby clothing, cribs, car seats and other goods for babies from both reciprocal tariff and fentanyl tariff actions.
Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., is leading a bipartisan effort to convince Mexico to stop its effort to seize the port owned by Vulcan Materials Company, on the Caribbean coast.