Press Releases

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), ), who serves on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, today hailed the passage of a House measure to end President Trump’s tariffs on Canada, America’s neighbor and close ally to the north, which has been significantly alienated over the past year by Trump’s tariffs, tantrums, bullying and threats. The measure now goes to the Senate, which previously passed similar legislation led by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.

“President Trump’s tariffs have crushed our economy, raised prices, and alienated our allies for the past year. These effects have been particularly harmful to our strategic and economic relationship with Canada, one of our closest allies and largest trading partners. Despite the clear harm to American interests from these tariffs, House Republicans steadfastly refused to even allow a vote in Congress – which has sole authority under the Constitution to regulate taxes and trade – until now. And with this massive vote to rebuke Trump’s disastrous trade policy, everyone now knows why.

“The President admitted yesterday that he imposed tariffs on an American trading partner simply because he didn’t like a foreign leader’s tone. Donald Trump’s mercurial whims are not a national security emergency, yet his administration has dishonestly claimed in court that his tariffs are necessitated by a fictitious national emergency. In fact, new reporting strongly suggests that his latest feud with Canada is primarily motivated by a corrupt desire to benefit political allies of disgraced Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.

“The American people see through all of this, which is one reason why Trump’s tariffs are deeply unpopular. I am glad that some of my Republican colleagues have finally chosen to do the right thing, although the vote says that Speaker Johnson is correct when he says ‘the vast majority of House Republicans agree wholeheartedly with the president’ on trade and will continue to ‘give him the latitude to continue’ his price-raising tariffs. We will have more votes to come on Trump’s tariffs, and I encourage Republicans to do the right thing, stand up to Trump, and vote to lower prices for their constituents.”

Economic analysis by the Tax Foundation finds that Trump’s tariffs cost American families $1,000 last year, while similar analysis from Congress’ Joint Economic Committee put the figure at $1,625.

Beyer chairs the New Democrat Coalition’s Trade Task Force, and is the sponsor of the Congressional Trade Authority Act, which would rein in presidential abuses of authorities under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

Beyer is the co-lead, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, of legislation to end abuses of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff authorities, and an original cosponsor of the Repealing Outdated and Unilateral Tariff Authorities Act, which would repeal Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930; the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, which would strike Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a law that currently allows the President to impose sweeping 15% tariffs on all imports under a “balance of payments” crisis; and the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act, which would halt President Trump’s trade wars, repeal tariffs, and reclaim Congress’ lawful authority over tariffs.