Democratic senators introduce bill to check Trump's tariff authority

Two Democratic senators introduced a bill that would require President Trump to get congressional approval for proposed tariffs on trading partners before imposing them, a push coming just days before the president is set to impose new ones on Mexico and Canada.

Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) brought forward the Stopping Tariffs on Allies and Bolstering Legislative Exercise of (STABLE) Trade Policy Act on Thursday, which would also require the president to elaborate on the decision to impose tariffs on U.S. allies and trading partners and how the tariffs would impact the U.S. economy and foreign policy priorities.

“Congress gave the president the authority to impose tariffs so that he could combat our enemies in the event of a national security crisis, not so that he could pursue grudges against our allies and neighbors,” Coons said in a Friday release.

On Thursday, Trump warned that he plans to carry out his threat to slap 25 percent tariffs on goods coming from both Canada and Mexico.

“I’ll be putting the tariff of 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, and we will really have to do that because we have very big deficits with those countries. Those tariffs may or may not rise with time,” Trump said from the Oval Office, citing the influx of fentanyl into the country and the flow of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Coons called the tariff threat an abuse of power.

“If the president is going abuse this power to bully and coerce our allies, Congress should take this authority back,” Coons said in a statement. “If this weekend’s tariffs go into effect, they’ll do catastrophic damage to our relationships with our allies and raise costs for working families by hundreds of dollars a year. Congress needs to stop this from happening again.”

In late November last year, Trump warned that he would institute tariffs on both Canada and Mexico through an executive order once he was sworn into office.

Mexico and Canada are the U.S.'s top trading partners, and experts have cautioned that Trump’s tariffs could end up increasing prices of some goods for American consumers. They have also said the economies of Canada and Mexico could have a harder time long term if the trade war begins.

“Virginians want costs to go down, not up. But President Trump’s plans to impose broad-based tariffs would raise the price of everyday goods and hurt our economy,” Kaine said.

“It’s time for Congress to make it clear that no president should abuse existing tariff authorities designed to protect America’s national security from threats posed by our adversaries to slap tariffs on our allies and closest trading partners," he added.

Topics

Florida Republican introduces bill to add Trump to Mount Rushmore

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) introduced a bill Tuesday seeking to add President Trump’s face to the Mount Rushmore monument. “His remarkable accomplishments for our country and the success he ...
The Hill - 2d
Senate Democrats block bill to sanction International Criminal Court

Democrats said that as written, the ICC sanctions bill would backfire on U.S. allies and companies.
CBS News - 3d
Senate Democrats block GOP's ICC sanctions bill

Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked Republicans from advancing legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court, arguing the bill had sweeping consequences on allies and American ...
The Hill - 3d
GOP senators introduce bill to ban taxpayer funding for abortions

Republican lawmakers reintroduced a piece of legislation that would ban the use of federal funds for abortions or health coverage that includes abortion this week. If passed, the bill would ...
The Hill - Jan. 23
Senate Democrats block GOP's 'born-alive' abortion bill

Senate Republicans failed on Wednesday to invoke cloture on a bill legislating care for infants "born alive" during attempted abortions, with the motion largely serving to get Democrats on the ...
The Hill - Jan. 22
Democrats grill Project 2025 co-author over ‘illegal’ Trump funding move

Democrats on Wednesday grilled Office of Management and Budget (OMB) nominee Russell Vought over recent executive orders made by President Trump they say “illegally” target funding authorized by ...
The Hill - Jan. 22
Senate Democrats work to delay speedy confirmation of Trump nominees

Senate Republicans are trudging through the process to confirm President Trump's nominees as Democrats push back on their speedy approval.
CBS News - Jan. 22
Zuckerberg met with Trump before ending fact-checking program: GOP senator

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with President-elect Trump a day ahead of announcing the social media network will eliminate its fact-checking program to ...
The Hill - Jan. 9
Fetterman to be first sitting Democratic senator to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has accepted an invitation from President-elect Donald Trump to meet with him at his Mar-a-Lago estate, multiple sources said.
CBS News - Jan. 9