Trump heads to South Korea ahead of Xi meeting; Senate rejects latest funding bill as SNAP deadline looms
Senate Democrats, working with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., will force a vote this evening on blocking Trump’s tariffs on billions of dollars of goods from Brazil.
The resolution would terminate the emergency declaration Trump implemented to enact tariffs on Brazilian imports of 50%.
The measure is “privileged,” meaning it can be brought to the floor without the consent of the Republican majority. Privileged resolutions have a 51-vote threshold, so if just a few GOP senators vote with all Democrats, the resolution could pass the Senate. However, it remains mostly symbolic, since it would be very unlikely to be brought up in the Republican-controlled House.
“The President of the United States does not have the authority under [the International Emergency Economic Powers Act] to unilaterally impose tariffs. Trade policy belongs to Congress, not the White House,” Paul said in a statement.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the main backer of the resolution, said in a statement that his colleagues should “stand up for the principle that our economic policy should advance Americans’ best interests, not ridiculous personal grievances.”
When the Senate voted on a similar measure in April to reject Trump’s tariffs on Canada, four Republicans joined Democrats: Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska; Susan Collins, of Maine; Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky; and Paul.
Earlier today, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told NBC News that he will vote in favor of the resolution to revoke Trump’s tariffs on Brazil.
Though Tillis acknowledged the resolutions are mostly “messaging,” he said he’s voting for it because the United States has a trade surplus with Brazil. He added, “When you disagree with the judicial proceeding and a transition of power … I worry about the message it sends the businesses, because now they can no longer track risk based on where trade imbalances are.”
Senate Democrats are expected to force two more votes — one to block Canadian tariffs and the other to restore congressional authority over trade — later this week. Tillis said he will oppose both.
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