Congressional Democrats forced a vote Wednesday on a measure to rebuke President Trump for his tariffs on imports from Canada, putting Republicans on the hot seat over the unpopular trade war.
The House was set to vote later Wednesday on a measure introduced by Rep. Greg Meeks (D-New York) that would overturn the “economic emergency” declaration Trump used to impose levies on products produced in the nation’s northern neighbor and biggest trading partner.
Several Republicans are expected to break ranks with their party and join all Democrats in backing the bill, a embarrassing political black eye for Trump who has relished slapping tariffs on geopolitical friends and foes alike for a wide variety of reasons.
“Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs,” tweeted Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska), one of three GOP lawmakers who crossed the aisle on a procedural measure that opened the door to consideration of the bill. “Tariffs have been a ‘net negative’ for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers and farmers are paying.”
The vote sets up a tricky dilemma for some House Republicans representing swing districts like Westchester County Rep. Mike Lawler. They may be loath to cross Trump, but could be worried about a backlash from voters in the fall midterm elections, in which polls say Democrats are favored and his handling of tariffs and the economy are deep underwater.
If passed as expected, the bill would go to the Senate, where a similar measure passed last year with support of four Republicans.
Even if the bill wins congressional approval, Trump could veto it and maintain the supposed economic emergency he used to justify imposing the taxes, which are paid by companies that import Canadian products and generally passed on to American consumers.
But the bipartisan votes would add new pressure on him to ease the trade war, especially against longtime allies like Canada, Mexico and the European Union.
The Supreme Court is also expected to weigh in soon on Trump’s tariffs with a ruling on whether he overstepped his authority in imposing them.
Trump says the tariffs against Canada and other trading partners are needed to reverse decades of trade imbalances and incentivize companies to rebuild manufacturing in the U.S.
Most economists say that’s a flawed argument and American consumers, farmers and businesses will suffer from his emerging global trade war.
Trump has also used tariffs or threats of tariffs as a weapon in geopolitical and even personal political spats that have nothing to do with trade, like his levies on Brazil to punish its government for imprisoning its former right-wing leader for a coup attempt and threats to slap them on Denmark and other allies for resisting his failed push to annex Greenland.
