The Senate failed to pass a resolution Wednesday night that would have halted President Donald Trump’s tariffs after Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote.
Three Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, bucked their party and sided with 46 Democrats in favor of passing the resolution. The remaining 49 Republicans voted against it, resulting in a 49-49 tie that Vance broke.
Murkowski and Paul, who have defied their party in the past, argued that Trump did not have the constitutional authority to impose these tariffs.
‘Trump’s ongoing trade war has been a focal point for his critics over the last few weeks.’
“Bilateral trade deficits do not constitute a national emergency, nor do they qualify as an ‘unusual and extraordinary’ circumstance needed to unlock authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act,” Murkowski said in a statement. “We have a lot more work to do to reclaim Congress’s constitutional power over tariffs, but this resolution is a step in the right direction.”
“The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, has the power of the purse,” Paul said in a statement. “All new taxes (which is what a tariff is) are supposed to originate in the House of Representatives before going to the Senate for approval.”
Trump’s ongoing trade war has been a focal point for his critics over the last few weeks. With market uncertainty and ongoing trade negotiations, the GDP experienced a contraction in the first quarter.
Although the latest GDP report may have some warning signs on its face, former Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Richard Clarida argued that the figures were distorted by tariffs, and the administration pointed to several positive economic indicators in the report.
“It’s no surprise the leftovers of Biden’s economic disaster have been a drag on economic growth, but the underlying numbers tell the real story of the strong momentum President Trump is delivering,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Wednesday.
“Robust core GDP, the highest gross domestic investment in four years, job growth, and trillions of dollars in new investments secured by President Trump are fueling an economic boom and setting the stage for unprecedented growth as President Trump ushers in the new golden age,” Leavitt said.
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