Mutual tariffs from dozens of countries will be enforced at 12:01am ET on April 9th.
A group of House Democrats moved to force a vote on a resolution to block President Donald Trump’s global mutual tariffs.
On April 8th, Gregory Meeks (DN.Y.), Rick Larsen (d-wash.) and Richard Neal (d-mass.) introduced measures to override the emergency department cited to enact customs duties.
The measure has an additional 23 co-sponsors. It should be decided when voted.
“By implementing these tariffs, Trump is now leviing the largest and most regressed taxes in modern history, putting the stock market in the worst charge since Covid, putting it at risk in a global recession,” they said in a statement.
“These tariffs are mere sales taxes on American families, raising prices for everything from food to cars.”
Meeks and other Democrats in Congress say Trump has no emergency authority to enact tariffs.
The Epoch Times contacted the White House to comment on the resolution of the disapproval. Trump is almost certain to refuse this measure if he passes Congress.
The mutual tariffs between approximately 60 countries and the trade bloc will come into effect at 12:01am Eastern Standard Time on April 9th. China is hit by the highest tariffs.
Last week, a 10% tariff came into effect in most countries.
The Senate passed a disapproval resolution last week to cancel Trump’s tariffs in Canada, as four Republicans joined all Democrats by vote. This is a 25% tariff on Canadian goods and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy imports. The home is unlikely to take this measure.
House Republicans blocked a similar resolution last month through procedural manipulation.
Trump said on April 7 that he would not suspend customs.
Congressional Republicans were mostly standing behind Trump’s stance.
“The president is treated, if nothing else, and he is trying to continue dealing with each of them and country by country,” said Senate majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
“We’ve lost jobs left and right. Farmers want to see fair deals in our products both in Canada, Mexico and (the European Union).”
There was also concern from Republicans.
“Taxes are like whiskey. In the right situations, whiskey can be a bit refreshing, but in the wrong situations, too much whiskey can be as intoxicating as a goat,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) along with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced this month a bill that would allow for the presidential tariffs that were implemented 60 days later, only if approved by Congress.
The administration opposed the bill in a statement on April 7, saying it “will dangerously hinder the president’s authority and duties to determine our foreign policy and protect national security.”
Three days after the tariff announcement, the stock market fell before rebounding on Tuesday.
President Trump has imposed tariffs on imports to reduce the country’s trade deficit and boost domestic manufacturing. Acknowledging that the stock market declined accordingly, the president this week said, “sometimes we have to take medicines to fix something.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
