House GOP Moves to Block Potential Challenges to Trump Tariffs
Last edited Tue Mar 11, 2025, 07:24 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: Bloomberg
March 11, 2025 at 12:36 PM EDT
Updated on March 11, 2025 at 2:36 PM EDT
House Republicans blocked Democrats from forcing a painful vote on Donald Trump’s tariffs as the president amps up the US trade war with Canada. A vote on the tariffs would have been politically difficult for many Republicans as Trump’s tariffs drive volatility in the stock market.
Voting against Trump’s measures would have put GOP lawmakers at odds with the president, while voting for the tariffs would have forced them to shoulder blame for the economic fallout. The maneuver to prevent such a vote came just hours after Trump said he’s increasing steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada to 50%, rattling markets and further stoking concerns about US relations with its northern neighbor.
The legislative provision, drafted before Trump’s Tuesday announcement, was included in the rule governing floor debate on a government funding bill. Tuesday’s passage of that rule automatically prevents a vote terminating the Feb. 1 national emergency along the southern border, which Trump has used to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico without congressional approval.
New York Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had introduced resolutions to terminate the emergencies and had planned to force a vote on them this month. Now such a vote is only possible with the approval of Republican House leaders.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-11/house-gop-moves-to-block-potential-challenges-to-trump-tariffs
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Article updated.
Original article/headline -
March 11, 2025 at 12:36 PM EDT
Updated on March 11, 2025 at 12:57 PM EDT
House Republicans will move Tuesday to block Democrats from forcing a painful vote on Donald Trump’s tariffs as the president amps up the US trade war with Canada. A vote on the tariffs would be politically difficult for many Republicans as Trump’s tariffs drive a stock market decline. Voting against them would put GOP lawmakers at odds with the president, while voting for the tariffs would force them to shoulder blame for the economic fallout.
The maneuver to block such a vote will come just hours after Trump said he’s increasing steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada to 50%, rattling already volatile markets and further stoking concerns about US relations with its northern neighbor.
The legislative provision, drafted before Trump’s Tuesday announcement, is included in the rule governing floor debate on a government funding bill. Passage of the rule, which is expected along party lines, would automatically prevent a vote terminating the Feb. 1 national emergency along the southern border, which Trump has used to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico without congressional approval.
New York Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had introduced resolutions to terminate the emergencies. He could force a vote on them this month if the House doesn’t change its own rules to block him. If the rule is passed, such a vote would only be possible with the approval of Republican House leaders. Democratic Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts assailed the maneuver. “Guess what they tucked into this rule, hoping nobody would notice?” McGovern said. “A little clause letting them escape from ever having to debate or vote on Trump’s tariffs.”
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