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GUARDRAILS WANTED: Representatives from a broad range of technology firms, manufacturers, retailers and agricultural producers are pressing Congress to pursue safeguards that would rein in a president’s ability to impose new tariffs. The push comes as GOP nominee Donald Trump
escalates his proposals to enact sweeping tariffs if elected next month. Those plans have been criticized by economists across the political spectrum, who say the measures would raise costs for average Americans. “These are active, real-time discussions, because we don't know who's going to win, but we do have to prepare,” Ed Brzytwa, vice president of international trade at the Consumer Technology Association, told Morning Trade.
“We’re reaching out to anyone who will possibly listen to us, Republicans in particular that have already expressed public concern about the sweeping, broad tariffs,” Brzytwa said. One step back: The former president has called to impose a universal tariff of up to 20 percent, with higher restrictions on China and Mexico.
He went even further last week: "If I'm going to be president of this country I'm going to put a 100, 200, 2,000 percent tariff,” Trump said at the Economic Club of Chicago, referring to tariffs on foreign cars. Who’s who:
The groups pushing lawmakers to take action includes CTA, which represents companies in the technology sector, and members of the Tariff Reform Coalition, which covers U.S. manufacturers, exporters, retailers, agricultural and food producers, and other supply chain stakeholders, led by the National Foreign Trade Council. Trump hasn’t specified exactly how he would implement the wide-ranging tariff proposals, but representatives for major industry groups are vying to widen support for a range of legislation that would restrict the president’s unilateral trade authority.
For instance, Brzytwa pointed to a measure introduced by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) known as the No Taxation Without Representation Act, which would curb a president’s ability to implement tariffs without approval from Congress. Representatives are also pushing to shore up support for the
Global Trade Accountability Act, which would subject presidential tariff actions to congressional approval. The legislation was first introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) in 2017 in response to then-President Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Mexico and China. The groups are also backing the
Article One Act, which would end a presidential declaration of a national emergency after 30 days — unless Congress votes to extend it. (The International Emergency Economic Powers Act gives the president sweeping authority to control economic transactions after declaring an emergency). Keep in mind:
Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s USTR during his first term and a contender for a cabinet position should Trump win in November, has argued that a president has "clear authority" to impose tariffs without needing congressional approval.
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