The Congress Regrets

Senator Grassley introduces a bill to enable the legislature to start clawing back the tariff powers that it, in a weak moment, delegated to the president.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Trump signs an executive order imposing tariffs on imported goods at the White House, April 2, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

President Trump’s tariff spree is, we gather, being met with a wave of regrets on Capitol Hill. The poor dears. The Framers, in their wisdom, delegated solely to Congress the authority to lay and collect tariffs.* Yet after the infamous Smoot-Hawley tariff of 1930, the solons let this power slip out of their hands. Congress passed a series of laws giving the president the ability to impose tariffs, largely at his discretion. Now some legislators want to reclaim their power.

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