GOP rep to introduce bill to curtail Trump’s trade powers

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) is slated to introduce a bill on Monday that would limit President Trump’s authority to impose certain tariffs.

Under the legislation, the president would be required to obtain congressional approval before levying tariffs “in the interest of national security.”

Lawmakers would be provided with a 60-day window to review the president’s proposals. Legislation aimed at approving the requests would also have the ability to be fast-tracked through both chambers, ensuring an opportunity for debate and passage.

{mosads}The measure — which already has a companion bill introduced by Republican Sens. Bob Corker (Tenn.) and Pat Toomey (Pa.) that has garnered bipartisan support — would be retroactive for the past two years and apply to all tariffs that fall under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

The Senate version of the legislation has received strong pushback from the White House, with Trump urging Corker not to move forward with the bill.

The introduction in the House comes amid Republicans’ concern over Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum with three of the U.S.’s largest trading partners —the European Union, Canada and Mexico — in an attempt to negotiate better trade deals. The administration also recently imposed a 25 percent tariff on roughly $34 billion of Chinese imports.

Critics of Trump’s call for higher tariffs fear a trade war would be detrimental to the country’s economy and foreign relations.