In response to President Trump's imposition of wide-ranging reciprocal tariffs last week, on Thursday, April 3, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced legislation in the Senate seeking to reassert Congress' role over tariffs and trade policy.
The bill, known as the Trade Review Act of 2025, would require the president to give Congress 48 hours' notice before imposing or raising tariffs. The president would be required to provide an explanation of the reasoning for the action and an analysis of the potential impact. Congress would then have 60 days to approve the action, and, if it does not, the tariffs would automatically expire after that period. Congress would also have the ability to end the tariffs with a joint resolution of disapproval.
Notably, the bill has picked up six more Republican co-sponsors, including Senators Jerry Moran (KS), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Mitch McConnell (KY), Thom Tillis (NC), Todd Young (IN), and Susan Collins (ME), as well as a number of Democratic co-sponsors.
Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) has stated that he plans to introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives and that he has "beginning support" for the measure.
Nevertheless, the legislation faces an uphill climb to becoming law. Senate GOP leadership has not committed to allowing the bill on the floor, and House Speaker Mike Johnson is publicly supportive of President Trump's tariff strategy. President Trump has threatened to veto the measure, which means that it would require two-thirds of the GOP-controlled House and Senate to enact the bill into law.
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