The partisan fight over President Trump’s tariffs spilled onto the House floor last week during debate over temporary government funding. Democrats slammed the GOP majority for refusing to consider riders to end Trump’s tariffs as part of the stop-gap funding bill to keep the government open.
“We are hearing day in and day out from farmers who are being crushed by Trump’s erratic trade policies,” says Massachusetts House Ag Democrat Jim McGovern. “They’re losing markets abroad, input prices are going up, and farm bankruptcies are up 95-percent this year compared to last.”
California Republican Tom McClintock agreed with McGovern that the Constitution gives Congress ultimate tariff power but defended the Speaker’s deal to rein in executive authority to win votes of some GOP holdouts on government funding.
“He promised that the next rule resolution would reduce the extension of this authority from six months to four, expiring on January 31st, rather than March 31st. The gentleman says that’s not soon enough. Some of us would agree.”
McClintock said the Speaker agreed to form a GOP working group to develop a Congressional policy on the use of tariffs.
“Now this is important because there are increasing signs of tariff-related damage to the economy. The gentleman’s absolutely right on that point. And, because the courts may be moving to restore the guardrails between the executive and legislative branches, with respect to tariffs.”
But most Republicans stood their ground behind the president, including Indiana’s Erin Houchin.
“The tariffs imposed by President Trump are proving necessary to ensure fair trade, protect American workers and reduce trade deficits by bringing other nations to the negotiating table.”
Those nations include the E.U., U.K., and Japan as they and others have made deals to win lower tariffs. But China, the biggest market for US soybeans, is key as the White House races to get a deal before Congress or the courts close the door on the president’s sweeping use of tariffs.
The stopgap funding bill passed the House Friday but was defeated by Senate Democrats.
Source: NAFB News Service
