By Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON (Pawonation) – On the second day of a significant stock market downturn triggered by President Donald Trump’s decision to implement extensive new import duties, a U.S. Senate bill requiring congressional consent for imposing fresh tariffs attracted additional backing from Republicans.
On Thursday, Republican senators Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, Jerry Moran from Kansas, and Thom Tillis from North Carolina became co-sponsors of a bill initiated by Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, along with Democrat Maria Cantwell from Washington.
The legislation aims to end new tariffs within 60 days unless they are specifically ratified by the U.S. Congress.
It remains uncertain whether this proposal stands any chance of making progress in, or successfully navigating through, the Senate, considering that Trump’s party maintains a slim 53-47 majority there. Numerous Republican members have expressed backing for the President’s tariff actions; however, experts warn these could lead to increased costs and potentially spark an economic downturn, although the administration argues they will encourage more investments in American manufacturing sectors.
Each state faces distinct effects from shifts in international markets and trade regulations due to their specific key sectors like farming, automobile assembly, and airplane construction," Moran stated in an announcement to Pawonation on Friday. "According to the Constitution, it’s up to Congress to determine matters related to external trade, encompassing duties imposed on imports.
This marked another indication of growing concern among certain Republican senators regarding Trump's extensive new tariffs. On Tuesday, they approved an independent bill supported by four Republicans and every Democrat in the chamber, aimed at ending new tariffs on Canada.
Up until now, there has been no indication that the House of Representatives, which remains under Republican leadership, will consider taking up that bill.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer informed journalists that along with his fellow Democrats, they plan to introduce an amendment to the ongoing budget bill. This amendment aims to repeal any tariffs implemented by President Trump after taking office in January, specifically those that have led to increased costs for food items, medications, or other goods purchased by consumers.
The proposal, expected to be thwarted by Republicans, aims to maintain import duties on China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Along with Republican senators Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, and Jerry Moran, this legislation has gained support from Democratic senators Michael Bennet from Colorado, Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota, Peter Welch from Vermont, and Mark Warner from Virginia. They are all co-sponsors of the Grassley-Cantwell bill.
During an interview in the hallway, Tillis expressed his concerns regarding how the tariffs could impact the agricultural sector in his home state of North Carolina.
He mentioned that House Republicans from his state have been receiving numerous complaints from constituents regarding the impact of the tariffs.
Tillis, who is among only three Republicans protecting a Senate seat considered competitive for next year’s midterm elections, mentioned that North Carolina’s agricultural sector—known for producing pork, chicken, and turkey—might suffer due to retaliatory tariffs.
Tillis stated his desire to witness the Trump administration outline "a clearly defined plan" in the upcoming weeks regarding the objectives of these tariffs. He expressed hope that the administration might focus on negotiating a significant trade deal with an important trading partner, which could possibly supplant the use of punitive tariffs.
On Friday, Trump stated in a social media post, "My policies will remain constant."
Tillis remarked without explicitly mentioning Trump, “If our approach is merely ‘set it and forget it’ rather than attempting to mitigate this issue, I think there will be more individuals advocating for increased oversight.”
(Reported by Richard Cowan; Edited by Scott Malone, Sandra Maler, and Rosalba O'Brien)
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