Right now, the President can impose tariffs on imported goods under a variety of existing trade laws without getting approval from Congress first. This bill would change that by requiring the President to submit any proposed tariff to Congress and get a joint resolution passed before it takes effect. It covers tariffs imposed under the Trade Act, the Tariff Act, the Trade Expansion Act, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and other trade statutes. The one exception: total embargoes (blocking all goods from a country) would still be allowed without congressional approval.
Congressional Summary
This bill requires the President to receive congressional approval in order to impose a duty (i.e., tariff) on articles imported into the United States.Specifically, the President may impose a duty on an article imported into the United States only if (1) the President submits to Congress a proposal to impose the duty that includes a rationale for imposing the duty, and (2) a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law.The bill applies to specified statutory authorities, such as the Tariff Act of 1930 and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and other provisions of law (e.g., trade agreements).Therefore, for example, the bill requires the President to receive congressional approval before imposing tariffs under IEEPA. (IEEPA provides the President with broad authority to regulate various economic transactions following a declaration of a national emergency. In 2025, President Donald J. Trump invoked IEEPA to impose tariffs on imports from almost all U.S. trading partners. Several lawsuits challenging the President's legal authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA are ongoing.)
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Action Date
- Date Added
- 2026-04-02
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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