Bipartisan Support for Limiting Presidential Trade Authority

A bill limiting the president’s authority to impose tariffs under the auspice of national security will be introduced in Congress next week.

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) will introduce a bill that would require the president to obtain approval from Congress before imports could be restricted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Toomey’s proposal would also require Commerce to take a back seat to the Pentagon in determining whether import of a product impairs or threatens to impair national security. Commerce could only send remedy recommendations to the president if the Pentagon determines a threat exists.