In a series of significant legislative maneuvers, the U.S. Senate cast three pivotal votes this week, each aimed at countering President Donald Trump's tariff policies.
These resolutions, which successfully passed, were bolstered by a coalition of Republican senators aligning with their Democratic counterparts.
According to The Blaze, President Trump, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, declared a national emergency on April 2, a day he termed "Liberation Day." This declaration paved the way for a 10% tariff on a majority of imports into the United States, alongside additional duties targeting specific trading partners.
This protectionist stance has stirred discontent across party lines, particularly among liberals who champion unfettered free trade.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a vocal critic of the tariffs, previously attempted to dismantle them, arguing, "The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, has the power of the purse. All new taxes (which is what a tariff is) are supposed to originate in the House of Representatives before going to the Senate for approval."
The Supreme Court is slated to deliberate on the legality of these tariffs next month, yet congressional liberals appear determined to explore every possible avenue to challenge the President's actions.
The Senate's first vote on Tuesday targeted the President's 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports. Republican Senators Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Thom Tillis joined Democrats to pass Senator Tim Kaine's resolution with a narrow 52-48 margin.
McConnell remarked, "Protectionists eagerly celebrate the revenue from tariff duties. But they don't talk nearly as much about how much of that revenue they'll spend protecting American growers and producers from the avoidable harm of their policies." He further emphasized that tariffs inflate costs for both building and purchasing domestically, underscoring the historical economic detriments of trade wars.
The following day, the Senate addressed tariffs on Canadian imports. Although Senator Tillis opposed the resolution this time, Collins, McConnell, Murkowski, and Paul once again sided with Democrats to secure its passage. The week's legislative efforts culminated on Thursday with a vote to terminate the national emergency underpinning the global tariffs. The same quartet of Republican senators supported Senator Ron Wyden's resolution, which passed 51-47.
Senator Murkowski articulated the broader implications of these votes, stating, "This series of votes isn't just about registering the Senate's disapproval of the President's emergency declaration on tariffs it's about Congress reasserting our authority as a co-equal branch of government with defined powers and responsibilities."
Despite the Senate's actions, the resolutions face an uncertain future in the House, where Republican leaders have effectively stalled any votes challenging the President's tariffs until March 2026. Even if the resolutions were to advance, they would likely encounter a presidential veto.
Login