WASHINGTON (AP) - In a strategic move, Democrats are set to push for two Senate votes regarding President Donald Trump's tariffs in the coming weeks. This initiative aims to apply pressure on Senate Republicans, many of whom have expressed dissatisfaction with the current tariff policies.
Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia announced his intention to introduce two bipartisan resolutions this week designed to terminate the national emergencies that Trump declared as justification for the tariffs imposed on Canada and Brazil. Earlier in April, a coalition of four Republican senators joined Democrats to block Trump's tariffs on Canada; however, the House of Representatives did not address the issue at that time.
Kaine emphasized the importance of having Republican senators go on record regarding their concerns about the tariffs, stating, "Over time, the instability is creating huge concerns." He framed the situation as a choice for Republicans between siding with their constituents or aligning with Trump.
The resolutions are backed by a coalition of Democrats and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump's tariff policies. The introduction of these resolutions activates a longstanding law that empowers Congress to challenge a president's emergency declarations, which means the Senate must hold votes on Trump's decisions, regardless of majority Republican support or opposition.
This legislative action is facilitated by a law allowing Congress to reintroduce legislation and demand new votes every six months. Kaine has expressed his commitment to continue this approach until a change in policy occurs. The timing of these votes coincides with economic uncertainty, as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office revealed that Trump's tariffs are among several factors likely to drive unemployment rates up, increase inflation, and reduce overall economic growth this year.
Republicans, particularly those from agricultural states, have shown signs of concern regarding Trump's tariffs. Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota has openly acknowledged these worries. Despite this, many Republicans have largely deferred to Trump on trade matters, advocating patience while the president negotiates potential deals with other nations.
Thune remarked, "I think everybody kind of knows my views on tariffs, but the fact of the matter is, the president ran on this." The resolution aimed at blocking the Canadian tariffs seeks to revoke the emergency declaration that Trump enacted in February, which introduced tariffs on Canada as a punitive measure for the alleged inadequate action against the illegal drug trade into the U.S. The Senate had previously passed a similar resolution in April, receiving support from Paul and three other Republican senators: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Trump reacted to the dissent, urging the four senators to align with the Republican agenda via social media.
The second resolution targets Trump's imposition of 50% tariffs on Brazil, which he linked to Brazilian policies and the legal troubles facing former President Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil exports a variety of products including oil, orange juice, coffee, and steel to the U.S., and last year, the U.S. had a $6.8 billion trade surplus with Brazil, according to the Census Bureau.
Democrats are hopeful that as the impacts of these tariffs on the economy become more apparent, more Republicans will join them in opposing the tariffs. Kaine's expectation is that the situation feels more urgent and concrete now, stating, "Now it’s real," contrasting the present with earlier discussions when the tariffs had yet to be implemented.
In a previous attempt, Kaine forced a vote on broader global tariffs that Trump announced in April, but the resolution failed by a tie of 49-49. The vote potentially could have succeeded had both Republican Senator McConnell and Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island been present.
Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
