House Democrats are trying to block President-elect Donald Trump from implementing his sweeping agenda tariff plans just days before he takes office.
The new bill, led by Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and Don Beyer, D-Va., and backed by 11 other Democrats, would prevent Trump from using presidential powers to impose higher import taxes.
During his campaign, Trump promised to impose a 60% tariff on goods from China and as much as 20% on other countries with which the US trades.
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Democratic Reps. Don Beyer, left, and Suzan DelBene are spearheading a bill to block President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff plan. (Getty Images)
He recently pledged to Truth Social that he would create “Foreign tax service” for “the collection of our tariffs, duties, and all revenue coming from foreign sources.”
Trump and his allies have argued that the plan would boost American manufacturing while making it harder for adversaries like China to “export their way out of the current economic predicament,” as Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent told senators this week.
In theory, the commander-in-chief can bypass Congress and impose sweeping tariffs by declaring a state of emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
However, Democrats argue that the cost of the tariffs would only be passed on to American consumers.
President-elect Donald Trump has promised high tariffs against China and other countries. (Bikash Dware/Rising Nepal via AP)
“The American people have said clearly and consistently that the high cost of living is one of their biggest concerns,” DelBene said in a statement. “Not only would widespread tariffs raise costs at home and likely send our economy into recession, they would likely lead to significant retaliation, hurting American workers, farmers and businesses.”
Beyer said: “Trump’s tariff proposals would abuse emergency authorities to raise prices for the American people, which is unacceptable.”
However, not all Democrats rejected the plan.
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, a moderate Democrat known to frequently break with his own party, introduced his own bill this week to impose a universal 10% tariff on all imports.
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Democratic Rep. Jared Golden also proposed a universal tariff plan. (Getty Images)
The 10% level would be reassessed annually, with room for a 5% increase or decrease depending on current US economic conditions.
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He asserted in a statement for Morning Star of Maine“The universal tariff — along with other policies to support domestic energy production, unions and manufacturing — is designed to shift our economy from one focused on cheap goods and consumption to one focused on production and innovation.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment on both bills.
