Republican Senator Chuck Grassley Introduces Bill to Curtail Presidential Tariff Powers

Washington, D.C. – April 3, 2025 – In a significant move to reassert congressional authority over trade policy, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the Trade Review Act of 2025 on Thursday. The bipartisan legislation aims to limit the executive branch’s ability to impose tariffs unilaterally, requiring the president to justify new trade duties to Congress within 48 hours and mandating that all new tariffs expire after 60 days unless explicitly approved by lawmakers.

The bill, introduced amid growing concerns over President Donald Trump’s recent tariff initiatives, seeks to restore a balance of power that both senators argue has tilted too far toward the executive branch. According to a statement from Grassley, a long-time advocate for congressional oversight in trade matters, “For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch.” He emphasized that the Trade Review Act builds on his prior efforts as Senate Finance Committee Chairman to ensure Congress retains a decisive voice in trade policy (Newsweek, April 3, 2025).

Under the proposed legislation, any president imposing or increasing a tariff would be required to submit an explanation of the reasoning behind the decision, along with an assessment of its potential impacts on U.S. businesses and consumers, to Congress within two days. The tariffs would then face a 60-day sunset clause, automatically expiring unless both chambers of Congress pass a joint resolution of approval. Additionally, lawmakers could terminate a tariff at any time by passing a joint resolution of disapproval, providing a mechanism for swift congressional intervention (POLITICO, April 3, 2025).

Cantwell, representing a state heavily reliant on trade, framed the bill as a necessary step to ensure transparency and accountability in trade policy. “This bill reasserts Congress’s role over trade policy to ensure rules-based trade policies are transparent, consistent, and benefit the American public,” she said in a statement (Reuters, April 3, 2025). Her comments come in the wake of Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement on April 2, which imposed a baseline 10% tariff on all U.S. imports, sparking widespread debate over executive overreach and economic consequences.

The timing of the Trade Review Act is notable, following a tumultuous week in which Trump’s tariff plans drew criticism from both sides of the aisle. Several Republicans, including Grassley, have expressed unease over the potential for tariffs to raise consumer prices and disrupt the economy, while Democrats like Cantwell have highlighted the need for a predictable, rules-based trade system. Economists have warned that such measures could lead to a recession, with American consumers likely bearing the brunt of higher costs (Newsweek, April 3, 2025).

The bill’s introduction also follows a Senate vote on Wednesday to terminate new tariffs on Canadian imports, signaling broader congressional discontent with the president’s trade strategy. Modeled after the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which limits presidential military actions without congressional approval, the Trade Review Act represents a rare bipartisan effort to claw back authority ceded to the executive branch over decades (Courthouse News Service, April 3, 2025).

While the legislation has garnered support from lawmakers wary of unchecked executive power, its path forward remains uncertain. Passage would require a veto-proof majority to overcome potential opposition from the White House, a steep hurdle in the current polarized political climate. Nonetheless, the Grassley-Cantwell proposal marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over who controls America’s trade destiny—Congress or the president.

For now, the Trade Review Act of 2025 stands as a bold statement of intent, with Grassley and Cantwell leading the charge to redefine the boundaries of executive authority in an era of escalating trade tensions. 17GEN4.com