House Democrats Introduce Bill to Curb Presidential Authority on Trade, Targeting Trump-Era Tariffs
Alabama’s Terri Sewell introduces bill to reverse Trump tariff & trade policies
House Democrats have introduced legislation this week aimed at reasserting congressional control over U.S. trade policy. The measure, titled the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act, seeks to reverse what lawmakers describe as economically damaging and unilateral tariff decisions made by Trump during his presidency.
Even with a slim Republican majority in the House, the bill has very little chance of passage. House Democrats will have to justify a change in tariff authority in light of the 75 nations that have approached the administration to discuss President Trump’s tariffs. The EU has stated they are willing to pursue a “zero-for-zero” tariff strategy. Most importantly, the bill seems to support a continuation of the massive trade deficit between the U.S. and China, which was $295 billion in 2024.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL7), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee, alongside Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Trade Subcommittee, with broad support from Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee.
“Donald Trump has once again shown that he cannot be trusted to lead the trade policy of the United States,” said Rep. Sewell. “Our economy is in chaos, working families are hurting, and small businesses across my district are worried they will lose their businesses because of Donald Trump’s reckless trade war. We have one man in the White House who is willing to throw the global economy into disarray just so that he can have foreign leaders and CEOs come begging to him on bended knee. Enough is enough!”
Rep. Sánchez echoed Sewell’s concerns, accusing Trump of abusing tariff powers for political leverage rather than strategic policy.
“President Trump’s reckless abuse of tariffs has sparked nothing but chaos,” Sánchez said. “American families have been anxiously bracing for rising costs and small businesses are worried they won’t survive the economic strain – all while the president flip-flops on tariffs at a whim, doing backroom deals and keeping negotiations out of the public eye. It’s time to end this madness.”
The legislation targets a broad rollback of Trump-era tariff policies and includes several key provisions:
- Repealing Global Tariffs Imposed in 2018: The bill would permanently eliminate the 10 percent baseline tariffs imposed on April 2, 2018, as well as steep increases applied to over 60 countries, including major trade partners such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Canada.
- Blocking Unilateral Tariffs on Mexico and Canada: The act would prevent the president from using emergency powers or executive authority to impose tariffs on these USMCA partners without congressional approval.
- Restoring Congressional Oversight: The bill mandates congressional approval for any new tariff actions. Votes on proposed tariffs would be considered “privileged,” giving them expedited consideration and ensuring they are not stalled for political reasons.
Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA, Ranking Member of the full Ways and Means Committee, also backed the bill.
“This president is willing to call anything an emergency to justify his every chaotic whim,” Neal said. “The American people deserve better—they deserve stability and forethought.”
The bill has drawn support from more than 20 Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), and others.
The proposed legislation underscores a broader push among Democrats to reassert congressional authority in matters of international trade, a power historically granted to Congress by the Constitution. Critics of Trump’s trade strategy argue that the former president overstepped these bounds, often bypassing legislative oversight to impose sweeping tariffs that disrupted global markets and domestic industries. Supporters of the President point to the significant number of countries which are already adjusting their policies, the massive and longstanding trade deficit with China, and the businesses that have already promised significant domestic investments as evidence that the President’s tariff policies are working as intended.
