Senate vote signals strong opposition to tariffs
idential authority,” said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., as Republicans said the Pres- A day after the Trump ident’s declaration of steel Administration threatened and aluminum tariffs under to add $200 billion in new ‘national security’ consid- tariffs against China in an erations has no legitimate escalating trade dispute, the grounds for support. Senate showcased bipartisan “We agree on taxes, we displeasure last week with agree on regulations, we Trump’s tariffs on steel and agree on judges,” said Sen. aluminum imports from Can- Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., ada, Mexico and the European “but these tariffs are a big Union, approving a non-bind- mistake,” as Senators com- ing motion indicating strong plained they were raising opposition to the President’s prices for U.S. consumers trade actions. and costing jobs for small
“Let’s be clear, this is a businesses. rebuke of the President’s “The harmful effects that abuse of trade authority,” we feared have already said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz, as begun,” said Sen. Pat Toomey, a number of GOP lawmakers R-Pa., as he said companies in denounced the President’s the Keystone State are already trade actions in blunt terms seeing their products lose a on the Senate floor. competitive edge because of
“This is an abuse the added cost of steel and of Pres- aluminum products.
At issue is what is known as Section 232 authority to impose tariffs — based on a national security threat — which the President used to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Can- ada, Mexico and the European Union.
Instead of knuckling under, those trading partners have instead retaliated against the United States with new import duties on American exports — raising the pros- pect of a trade war involving U.S. allies, and a trade fight with China, as well.
“I think the most important question any of us can ask is where does this end?” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, when he was asked about the President’s latest threat to add another $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S.
“The President wants to have a lot of leverage – and certainly these tariffs give him more leverage,” Cornyn acknowledged. “But things can also escalate out of con- trol.”
But supporters of the Pres- ident said Trump was right to be more aggressive in confronting trade partners, demanding that they open their markets to more Amer- ican goods.
“This President is commit- ted to creating a more level playing field for our work- ers and our companies here at home to compete,” said Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who has emerged as one of the staunchest defenders in the Senate of Trump’s moves on trade.
“Like me, President Trump is an outsider to this political process,” said Perdue in a speech on the Senate floor. “He’s a business guy who has seen the impact of unfair trade practices in the real world.”
But the impact of retaliatory tariffs by other nations — particularly against American agriculture products — has stirred strong opposition among lawmakers in both parties, one reason that Perdue was joined only by ten other Senators in the 88-11 vote.
“I’m so glad that Congress is finally, finally pushing back on this,” Sen. Flake said.
But what was approved by Senators was a non-binding parliamentary motion to instruct Senate negotiators to include language in a package of spending bills.
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