WASHINGTON — The House approved a measure that would block any legislation seeking to revoke the emergency declaration President Donald Trump issued earlier this year to impose global tariffs.
The House approved a rules package on Wednesday, a procedural hurdle that must be completed before a bill can be brought to the floor. But tucked into that package was a provision to block lawmakers from forcing votes on resolutions to overturn Trump’s emergency declarations being used to greenlight his tariffs.
The move comes in response to bipartisan proposals in both the House and Senate to give lawmakers more authority over tariffs by requiring congressional approval for all tariffs implemented by the president. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is leading the effort in the Senate in tandem with Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., in the House.
The language specifically ensures that lawmakers cannot force a vote on the legislation even through privileged means, a procedural tool that can be used to bring bills to the floor without leadership approval.
However, the measure only applies to the emergency declaration Trump issued on April 2 that was used to impose a baseline 10% global tariff and higher taxes for other select countries. The block would also expire after Sept. 30.
Under the resolution, the president would have been required to notify Congress within 48 hours of enacting new tariffs which must include an explanation and justification of the charges. The president must also provide an analysis of any potential impacts the tariffs would have on U.S. businesses and consumers.
Congress would then need to pass a resolution of approval within 60 days, otherwise the tariffs would expire. Lawmakers would also have the authority to end tariffs at any time by passing a resolution of disapproval, even after initially approving them.
Trump was quick to shut down those efforts, with the White House threatening to veto any legislation that reaches his desk seeking to limit his tariff authority. The president also criticized what he called “rebel Republicans” during a dinner with GOP lawmakers on Tuesday night.
“Some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate,” Trump said. “‘I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs.’ Oh that’s what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.”
The leadership move was not met with much pushback from Republican lawmakers. Both Bacon and Hurd voted in favor of the larger procedural package despite the language effectively killing their bill. However, at least one House Republican — Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio — opposed the package because of that addition.