To the Members of the United States Senate:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (“the Chamber”) urges Congress to pass legislation to reclaim its constitutional role setting tariffs, including the Trade Review Act. Doing so would restore appropriate procedural deliberation in the enactment of taxes on trade, benefitting the millions of Americans whose livelihoods depend on international commerce and the certainty that supports investments in our economy.
Members of Congress continue to hear from American farmers, workers, and business owners about the harm inflicted by broad-based tariffs and the associated economic uncertainty. American families are facing thousands of dollars in higher prices as a result of these increased taxes. Small businesses, manufacturers, and ranchers are struggling with higher costs, with additional economic pain likely in the coming months.
The Chamber has long supported legislative proposals to reassert congressional prerogatives on trade as a means to securing durable outcomes. The Constitution grants exclusive authority to the Congress “to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises… [and] to regulate commerce with foreign nations,” and exercising leadership on this front should be a priority in the context of today’s challenging economic outlook.
By establishing a more deliberative process for enacting tariffs, Congress can ensure that appropriate stakeholder consultation and a methodical assessment of costs precede any decision to raise taxes on traded goods. To date, several proposals have been introduced that address these concerns, including but not limited to the bipartisan and bicameral Trade Review Act as well as resolutions terminating the national emergency declared to impose broad-based tariffs (S. J. Res. 88, S.J. Res. 77). The Chamber urges members of Congress to work across the aisle to enact legislation requiring an up-or-down vote for any new tariffs and for those imposed in the year to date.
Sincerely,
Neil L. Bradley
Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer,
and Head of Strategic Advocacy
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
