Some U.S. senators pushing to block Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods
The U.S. Senate is set to vote Tuesday on a resolution from Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia to challenge U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, to declare an emergency at the northern border in order to hit Canada with tariffs.
There’s a bill that could deliver Trump’s trade policy a symbolic black eye — on Canada’s behalf.
It’s Senate Resolution 37, sponsored by Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, and it could be the subject of several hours’ debate and a vote over the next day or two. It would terminate Trump’s national-security justification for tariffs on Canada.
It specifically repudiates the rationale involving fentanyl for the set of Trump tariffs that imposed a 25 per cent levy on some products and a 10 per cent levy on energy products.
Kaine said he already has support from three Republicans — Rand Paul, Susan Collins and Thom Tillis — and is close to locking up the necessary votes to pass it.
If it passes, it would be an embarrassing message for Trump to carry into tomorrow’s tariff day — a rejection from the Senate, which his party controls.
However, substantively, it might mean very little. The bill will almost certainly not be brought for a vote in the House. Also, Trump could veto it anyway.
Plus, this would only rebuke one set of tariffs. The legislation doesn’t mention Trump’s other tariffs — on steel, aluminum and cars, plus the rest he’s announcing tomorrow.
Still, Kaine said this could create pressure for the president to start backing off.
“I [just] travelled around my state of Virginia, including in Republican parts of the state, and my … constituents are furious about this. They’re pro-Canada. They’re pro-trade with Canada,” he said.
“I think if we get a good, solid bipartisan vote in the Senate, that’s going to be a powerful message to Donald Trump and his economic advisers: you are playing with fire. Don’t raise taxes on Americans on their groceries and building supplies at a time when the economy is softening.”
