Senate Democrats moved Wednesday to strip President Trump of the tariff authority he’s using to reshape America’s trade relationships, introducing legislation that would hand Congress veto power over import duties that have already raised prices on everything from lumber to washing machines.
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, unveiled the bill one day after Trump announced 50% retaliatory tariffs on Canadian goods using a Depression-era trade law last invoked nearly a century ago. The Oregon Democrat called it “yet another shakedown that will raise the cost-of-living for Americans, their families, and small businesses across the country.”
Bill Targets Presidential Trade Powers Used Since 1930s
Wyden’s legislation would eliminate several statutory tools presidents have used to impose tariffs without congressional approval and require Capitol Hill sign-off on those that remain. The move comes as Trump has invoked multiple rarely-used trade laws to levy duties on allies and adversaries alike, fundamentally reordering trade relationships his administration argues have disadvantaged American workers for decades.
The bill faces steep odds in a Republican-controlled Congress and would almost certainly draw a presidential veto even if it reached Trump’s desk. White House spokesman Kush Desai dismissed Wyden’s effort in a statement, though the administration has not detailed how higher import costs will affect household budgets already strained by inflation.
Tariffs Hit Consumer Prices, Small Business Costs
The 50% Canadian tariffs Trump announced Tuesday apply to a wide range of goods American families and businesses buy daily. Economists warn the duties will flow through to consumers as retailers and manufacturers pass along higher import costs, adding to price pressures that have already forced many households to cut discretionary spending.
Small businesses that rely on Canadian supplies face immediate margin compression, with limited ability to absorb the cost increases or find alternative suppliers quickly. The tariffs also invite retaliation from Canada, America’s second-largest trading partner, potentially hitting U.S. exporters from farmers to factory owners.
Congress will return from recess next week, but Republican leaders have shown little appetite for constraining Trump’s trade agenda, which remains popular with the manufacturing and agriculture voters who delivered GOP majorities in both chambers.
Key Points
- Sen. Wyden introduced legislation requiring congressional approval for presidential tariffs after Trump imposed 50% duties on Canadian goods
- The bill would eliminate rarely-used trade laws Trump has invoked to bypass Congress and reshape trade relationships
- Faces long odds in Republican Congress and certain veto, while tariffs continue raising costs for households and small businesses
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/22/trump-tariffs-wyden-bill-congress.html – July 22, 2026
