By Adam Pack
Two high-ranking senators unveiled a bipartisan bill Thursday morning to restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to unilaterally impose tariffs without Congress’s approval.
Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democratic Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell’s Trade Review Act of 2025 would require congressional approval of Trump’s tariffs by subjecting them to a simple majority vote within 60 days of the duties being levied. The two senators’ efforts to rein in Trump’s tariff authority came shortly after the president declared a national emergency Wednesday afternoon to impose a baseline tariff of 10% on most foreign imports and larger reciprocal tariffs on nations allegedly imposing higher duties on U.S. goods. (RELATED: Brit Hume Predicts When We’ll Feel Ripple Effects From Trump’s Tariffs)
(The so-called “reciprocal” tariffs often aren’t reciprocal at all, and are imposed even on countries that have fewer trade barriers than America does, and have lower tariffs.)
Grassley and Cantwell’s bill would allow Congress to terminate Trump’s tariffs at any point by passing a resolution of disapproval. The resolution would also need to pass the House in order to land on the president’s desk.
The Iowa senator is chairman of the influential Senate Judiciary Committee and third in line for the presidency. His decision to co-lead a bill with a prominent Senate Democrat could signal that Congress has some reservations about the president’s “Liberation Day” tariffs.
Grassley said Thursday that Congress needs to reassert its constitutional powers over trade policy during a call with reporters.
“For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch,” Grassley also wrote in a statement Thursday morning.
“Trade wars can be devastating, which is why the Founding Fathers gave Congress the clear Constitutional authority over war and trade,” Cantwell wrote in a statement Thursday. “This bill reasserts Congress’s role over trade policy to ensure rules-based trade policies are transparent, consistent, and benefit the American public.”
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 02: U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a chart of “reciprocal tariffs” while speaking during a “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. Touting the event as “Liberation Day”, Trump is expected to announce additional tariffs targeting goods imported to the U.S. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Trump has vigorously defended the baseline and reciprocal tariffs, alleging the U.S.’ free trade commitments hollowed out the middle class and sent manufacturing jobs overseas. His administration is arguing that imposing the tariffs will lead to job growth in the U.S. by effectively pressuring companies to invest in American workers to avoid the duties.
“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said during an address in the Rose Garden titled “Make America Wealthy Again” Wednesday.
“We want to penalize people for shipping our jobs overseas,” Vice President JD Vance said on Fox News Thursday. “We want to reward hardworking Americans. It’s all part of the same policy.”
Four Republican senators — Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska —joined with Senate Democrats to terminate Trump’s national emergency declaration underpinning his tariffs on Canada Wednesday evening. Speaker Mike Johnson has said the resolution is a nonstarter in the House and Trump has pledged to veto the resolution.
