Senate Democrat proposes bill to curb U.S. presidential tariff powers

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Senate bill to curb tariff powers

Highlights

Sen. Ron Wyden introduces the Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act of 2026 to require congressional approval for tariffs under Sections 301, 201, and 232.
The bill would eliminate two outdated tariff authorities and establish a Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade to vet proposed presidential tariffs within 30 days.
Legislation faces steep hurdles due to Republican Congressional majorities and potential Trump veto, while also proposing increased oversight of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Tariff authority overhaul proposal

As reported by CNBC, Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, introduces legislation that would narrow some of the statutory tools a president can use to set tariffs and expand Congress's authority over those that remain.

Wyden says Trump has "abused every trade authority at his disposal" and criticizes the new tariffs on Canadian goods as a "shakedown" that would raise costs for Americans, families and small businesses. He unveils the measure one day after condemning Trump's use of a near-century-old trade law to justify the new duties.

The bill, called the Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act of 2026, would require congressional approval for tariffs proposed under Sections 301, 201 and 232. It would also eliminate two tariff authorities that Wyden describes as outdated, while creating a Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade to review presidential tariff proposals within 30 days and determine whether to recommend them to Congress for a vote on a joint resolution.

Political hurdles and oversight impact

The proposal faces steep obstacles in Congress, where Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, and Trump could still veto the measure if it passes. That leaves the bill as a political challenge to the current balance of trade powers as much as a near-term legislative vehicle.

Beyond tariff approval rules, the legislation would increase oversight of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative by moving it outside the Executive Office of the President and establishing an inspector general within the agency. The White House does not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the bill.

In our earlier coverage of the USMCA review being reshaped by separate U.S. talks with Canada and Mexico, we outlined how Washington’s bilateral approach could let concessions in the more advanced U.S.-Mexico track set a template for Canada. We also noted the added pressure from newly imposed 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods and the tight timeline before additional measures were set to take effect, raising stakes for cross-border supply chains and negotiations.

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