Six congressional Republicans joined 213 Democrats on Wednesday in voting to effectively kill President Donald Trump’s Canada tariffs.
Although House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) downplayed the president’s ire over the act, Trump appeared sufficiently peeved on Truth Social, where he threatened the political futures of those GOP lawmakers who stood out of line.
The background
On his first day back in office, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. The following month, he issued an executive order expanding the scope of the national emergency to address perceived drug-related threats at America’s northern border, claiming that Canada’s response to the alleged threats was unsatisfactory.
Citing the need for “decisive and immediate action,” he slapped 25% tariffs on various goods from Canada except for oil and gas, which he slapped with a 10% tariff. In July, Trump increased the tariff rate from 25% to 35%.
‘They are among the worst in the World to deal with.’
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have complained about the tariffs in the months since, and in October, four Republican senators joined their Democrat colleagues in passing a resolution disapproving of the president’s tariffs on imports from Canada.
The vote
The House passed a resolution on Wednesday evening to terminate the national emergency declared on Feb. 1 in a 219-211 vote — several hours after House Speaker Mike Johnson warned against “trying to limit the president’s power while he is in the midst of negotiating American First trade agreements,”
The six Republicans who helped pass the resolution were Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.), Don Bacon (Neb.), Kevin Kiley (Calif.), Jeff Hurd (Co.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Dan Newhouse (Wash.).
The resolution is headed now to the Senate, where it stands a good chance of passing given the upper chamber’s track record. Trump can, however, ultimately veto it — and it appears unlikely that either chamber has the requisite two-thirds majority support to surmount a veto.
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Photo by EVAN VUCCI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Newhouse explained his decision on Wednesday evening, stating, “Washington State’s economy is heavily intertwined with that of our neighbors to the North. Canada is our state’s second largest export market with billions of dollars in Washington commodities being sold there every year.”
In addition to complaining about rising prices and the fallout of reciprocal tariffs, Newhouse noted that “Congress should not tie its own hands on our Constitutional authority to levy tariffs.”
Hurd volunteered an even lengthier defense wherein he stressed that “Article I gives Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to levy tariffs” and that the normalization of “broad emergency trade powers today” would enable future presidents to “rely on the same authority in ways many of us would strongly oppose.”
“I support the goal of strengthening American industry. Where I differ is on the method,” noted Hurd.
Bacon said ahead of the vote that Congress should not “outsource our responsibilities” and that “tariffs are a tax on American consumers.”
Kiley suggested to CBS News that his opposition came down to protecting “the powers that belong to our branch of government.”
Massie, who has repeatedly defied Trump, stated that his goal “is to defend the Constitution and represent the people” and that “taxing authority is vested in the House of Representatives, not the Executive.”
The reaction
In the immediate wake of the vote, Mike Johnson told CNN that the president was “not upset. I just left the White House. He understands what’s going on. It’s not going to affect or change his policy. He can veto these things if they come to it.”
Trump did, however, evidence some vexation, writing on Truth Social, “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!”
“TARIFFS have given us Great National Security because the mere mention of the word has Countries agreeing to our strongest wishes,” continued Trump. “TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.”
Trump’s anger spilled over into another post, where he noted, “Canada has taken advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They are among the worst in the World to deal with, especially as it relates to our Northern Border.”
“TARIFFS make a WIN for us, EASY. Republicans must keep it that way!” added the president.
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Donald trump, Tariff, Canada, Emergency, National emergency, Border, Canadian, Trade, Trump, Thomas massie, Republican, Mike johnson, Politics
