Washington — The House voted on Wednesday to overturn President Trump’s tariffs on Canada after six Republicans sided with nearly all Democrats to rebuke one pillar of the president’s trade agenda.
The Democratic measure to roll back the levies passed in a 219 to 211 vote.
However, the resolution’s passage is largely symbolic, since it could be vetoed by the president if it clears the Senate, and it did not pass the House with a veto-proof majority. The upper chamber voted twice last year to block Mr. Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada, with four Republicans joining Democrats to approve the measures.
Its passage comes after GOP Reps. Kevin Kiley of California, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Don Bacon of Nebraska voted with Democrats on Tuesday to sink a procedural vote that would have barred lawmakers from overturning the president’s sweeping tariffs through July. For months, House GOP leaders have blocked lawmakers from forcing votes on Mr. Trump’s tariff authority, but the ban on challenging the levies expired in January.
Republican Reps. Dan Newhouse of Washington, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Jeff Hurd of Colorado, Kiley, Massie and Bacon broke with the president in Wednesday’s vote on an issue that could have political ramifications in the November midterm elections. Poll after poll has shown that Americans largely disapprove of the sweeping tariffs.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, could only afford one defection with his paper-thin majority.
“This is life with a small majority,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday night.
Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the sole Democrat to oppose the measure.
Moments before the vote wrapped up, Mr. Trump pushed Republicans not to break with him on tariffs, warning that any lawmaker who votes against his tariff policies “will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!”
“TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege,” he said in a Truth Social post.
Mr. Trump’s warning stands in contrast to comments Johnson made to reporters minutes before the vote. When asked if Mr. Trump would be upset with Republicans who voted against tariffs, Johnson said he had just come from an event at the White House and Mr. Trump was “not upset.”
“He understands what’s going on. It’s not going to affect or change his policy. He can veto these things if they come to him,” Johnson said.
The measure, introduced by Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, would terminate the national emergency declared by Mr. Trump last year to justify tariffs on Canada. Mr. Trump accused Canada of failing to address illegal migration and drug trafficking. Since then, Mr. Trump has continued to threaten additional tariffs against Canada as relations between the two allies sour.
The president has also threatened or imposed higher tariffs on dozens of other countries to resolve what he views as unfair trade practices. Democrats could soon force votes challenging tariffs on other countries.
In November, the Supreme Court appeared skeptical of Mr. Trump’s authority to unilaterally impose tariffs and its decision in the dispute could come any day.
Johnson has argued that Congress shouldn’t intervene in the process or challenge Mr. Trump’s economic strategy.
“The tariffs have been a tool that the president has used very effectively to level the playing field and put America back on top, and I think it’s wrong for Congress to step in the middle of that. Also, remember, this is pending at the U.S. Supreme Court,” Johnson said in an interview Wednesday on Fox Business. “So, I just think we need to pause Congress’s consideration of this and not get in the way of the president and what he’s trying to achieve.”
During floor debate on Wednesday, Democrats maintained that Mr. Trump’s trade war has been disastrous for Americans and questioned why Republicans have ceded congressional authority to the White House.
“Will you vote to lower the cost of living for the American families, or will you keep prices high out of loyalty to one person, Donald J. Trump?” Meeks asked.
Republicans accused Democrats of downplaying the fentanyl crisis and argued tariffs have been an effective strategy to get countries to act in favor of U.S. priorities.
“This is Democrats trying to ignore that there is a fentanyl crisis,” Republican Rep. Brian Mast of Florida said. “Tariffs get more attention than strongly worded letters, and millions of Americans’ lives are being saved because President Trump has declared this national emergency and is actively forcing our neighbors, like Canada, to act.”
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