Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced a bill on Wednesday aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s extensive tariff powers by eliminating certain legislative mechanisms that enable the president to impose import tariffs and enhancing Congress’s influence over the remaining authorities.
Wyden unveiled the legislation a day after criticizing Trump for announcing 50% tariffs on a wide range of Canadian goods. Trump cited a trade law enacted nearly a century ago that has rarely been utilized since. “Donald Trump has abused every trade authority at his disposal, and now he is again invoking a Great Depression-era law to impose sweeping unilateral tariffs on products from one of our closest allies and trading partners,” said Wyden, the leading Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. He added that “this is another step of pressure that will raise the cost of living for Americans, their families, and small businesses across the country,” and announced plans to introduce a bill to “return control to Congress.”
The bill is unlikely to pass in Congress, where Republicans hold a majority in both chambers. Even if it were to pass, Trump could veto it. The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to set tariffs, but over time, the legislative branch has delegated significant power to the president to impose tariffs on foreign goods.
Details of the Bill
Wyden’s bill, titled the “Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act of 2026,” seeks to reverse this trend. It would require Trump to obtain congressional approval for proposed tariffs imposed under three authorities known as Sections 301, 201, and 232.
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 grants the executive branch the authority to impose tariffs in response to foreign trade practices deemed unfair to the U.S. Under Section 201 of the same law, the president can impose tariffs if the U.S. International Trade Commission determines that increased imports are causing serious harm to domestic industry. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 allows the president to impose tariffs for national security reasons.
Wyden’s bill would also eliminate two tariff authorities that the senator described as “outdated.” These are Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which gives the president tariff authority on international balance of payments issues, and Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, under which the president can impose tariffs of up to 50% on goods from countries found to be discriminating against the U.S.
Committee and Strengthening Congressional Oversight
The bill proposes the establishment of a “Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade,” to which the president would need to submit his tariff proposals. It would consist of five members from the Senate Finance Committee and five members from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means.
The committee would have up to 30 days to review the president’s proposal and make a recommendation to Congress for a vote on a joint resolution within a specified timeframe. The bill would also enhance congressional oversight of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative by making it a separate agency outside the Executive Office of the President and establishing the position of Inspector General.
The White House did not respond to a request from CNBC for comment on Wyden’s bill.
Source: CNBC
