WASHINGTON, DC – Late last night, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 to pass a bipartisan measure (S.J. Res 37) to effectively end President Trump’s steep new tariffs on Canadian goods, which amount to a 25 percent tax on a wide array of goods imported from one of America’s top trading partners and closest allies.  Tariffs are taxes on imports collected when foreign goods cross the U.S. border via Customs and Border Protection.  They are not paid for by a foreign country, but rather by U.S. importers, retailers, and consumers who actually purchase the products.

The resolution would repeal the emergency declaration that allowed Trump to place tariffs on Canada.  This allowed Democrats to force a floor vote, with action on the joint resolution coming just after President Trump announced he is unilaterally imposing new blanket tariffs on nearly all imports coming into the United States.

Every Democrat and independent member of the U.S. Senate voted for the resolution, along with Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Rand Paul (R-KY).

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who helped pass the measure, stated: “President Trump’s chaotic, blanket tariffs are a backdoor tax increase on the American people.  They are going to raise consumer prices and lift small businesses’ costs.  The added uncertainty and chaos President Trump is creating is already forcing companies to layoff American workers, and could soon threaten a recession.  President Trump should reverse course and lay out a clear, competent strategy that would lower costs for everyday Americans – something he promised to do while campaigning for President.  But President Trump has made clear over the past two months that helping families afford rent, gas, and groceries isn’t his priority.  What he really wants is to consolidate power for himself, bypass Congress, and force entire industries to come to him and ask for favors or punish companies he doesn’t like.  It’s bad for our economy, bad for American households, and bad for democracy.  Congress needs to reassert its authority as an equal branch of government and this vote was a positive if likely symbolic step in the right direction.  I will continue working on a bipartisan basis to help lower costs, not increase them through higher tariff taxes and costly trade wars.”

The resolution, which was sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), was endorsed by a diverse group of economic and labor advocates, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers (USW), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the National Retail Federation (NRF), the North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Foreign Policy for America (FP4A), National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Advancing American Freedom.

It is unclear if the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the bill.  President Trump has threatened to veto the measure if it comes to his desk.