Wyden bill would force congressional vote on Trump tariffs

Sen. Ron Wyden introduced legislation Wednesday that would require President Donald Trump to get congressional approval before imposing most tariffs. The Oregon Democrat's bill targets the executive branch's broad trade powers after Trump announced 50% retaliatory tariffs on Canadian goods.

"Donald Trump has abused every trade authority at his disposal, and he is now excavating a law from the Great Depression to once again impose vast, unilateral tariffs on products from one of our closest allies and trading partners," Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement.

The bill, called the Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act of 2026, would require approval from Congress for tariffs under two of the three main authorities presidents have used. One is Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which lets the executive branch impose tariffs in response to foreign trade practices the U.S. views as unfair. Another is Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows tariffs on national security grounds. The bill also covers tariffs under Section 201 of the 1974 law, which lets the president act when the U.S. International Trade Commission finds surging imports seriously threaten a domestic industry.

Wyden's bill would also eliminate two older tariff authorities he called outdated: Section 122 of the 1974 trade law, which grants the president tariff powers involving international payments problems, and Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which allows duties up to 50% on goods from countries found to discriminate against the U.S.

The legislation would create a joint congressional committee on tariffs and trade. The president would submit tariff proposals to the committee, which would have five members each from the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. The panel would have up to 30 days to review the proposal and decide whether to recommend a vote on a joint resolution.