Senate ‘highly unlikely’ to undo Trump’s steel tariffs

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday that it is “highly unlikely” the Senate will take up legislation to undo President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs.

But he said Republican lawmakers remain concerned about the steep levies and continue to press the administration to narrow their scope.

“The thought that the president would sign a bill that would undo actions he’s taken strikes me as re- mote at best, and I like to use floor time in the Senate for things that actually have a chance to become law,” McConnell, R-Kentucky, told reporters at his weekly news conference in the Capitol. “So I think it’s highly unlikely we’d be dealing with that in a legislative way.”

The tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on imported aluminum provoked an outcry from GOP lawmakers when Trump announced them with almost Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kansas no warning earlier this month. He ultimately exempted Canada and Mexico, at least for now, when he finalised the tariffs last week, and Republican lawmakers are continuing to push for additional exemptions for specialty industries or products.

Senator Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, has introduced legislation to nullify the tariffs, but he’s among few lawmakers who have shown an appetite to challenge Trump on the issue legislatively. Flake is a Trump critic who is retiring from Congress.

Others have pointed out that any legislation against the tariffs would face steep hurdles. Democratic votes would be needed to pass such legislation through the Senate, and a majority of 67 votes would need to be assembled to override the veto.

“I just think it could be very difficult for it to pass, and I know the president wouldn’t sign it,” said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, chairman of the Agriculture Committee and one of the most outspoken opponents of the tariffs because of the potential for retaliation on agricultural products.