3 Republicans Join Democrats to Restore House Ability to Overturn Trump Tariffs/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Three House Republicans joined Democrats to block a GOP effort shielding Trump’s tariffs from votes. The move restores lawmakers’ ability to overturn emergency declarations backing the tariffs. Speaker Mike Johnson’s attempt to extend a moratorium failed 214-217.
House Trump Tariffs Vote – Quick Looks
- Three Republicans side with Democrats on procedural vote
- Moratorium blocking tariff challenges expires
- Vote fails 214-217, reopening congressional authority
- Supreme Court reviewing legality of Trump tariffs
- Democrats plan vote to overturn Canada tariffs
Deep Look: Three Republicans Join Democrats to Restore House Authority Over Trump Tariffs
In a rare bipartisan rebuke to party leadership, three House Republicans joined Democrats to block an effort by GOP leaders to shield President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs from congressional review.
The 214-217 vote Tuesday halted an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson to extend a moratorium preventing lawmakers from forcing votes to overturn the national emergency declarations used to justify the tariffs.
With the moratorium now expired, House members can once again use their authority under the National Emergencies Act to introduce joint resolutions of disapproval aimed at ending the emergency orders underpinning the import levies.
Republican Defections Prove Decisive
Reps. Thomas Massie, Kevin Kiley, and Don Bacon sided with all Democrats to defeat the procedural rule that would have reinstated the tariff vote ban through July 31.
The rule was tied to unrelated legislation, a common procedural tactic in the House.
Johnson argued that extending the moratorium would give the Supreme Court of the United States time to decide a pending case examining whether Trump exceeded his constitutional authority by using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act of 1977 to impose tariffs without direct congressional approval.
During oral arguments in November, several justices expressed concerns about executive overreach and Congress’ role in trade policy.
Congressional Authority at Stake
The National Emergencies Act allows Congress to terminate a president’s declared emergency via a joint resolution. Such resolutions are “privileged,” meaning they can be brought to the floor without leadership approval.
Senate Democrats have previously succeeded in passing a resolution to overturn Trump’s tariffs on Canada. However, the measure stalled in the House because of the temporary moratorium blocking such votes.
Now that the restriction has lapsed, House Democrats plan to force votes beginning with tariffs imposed on Canada, one of America’s largest trading partners.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Congress must reassert its constitutional authority over taxation and trade.
“Either it’s an emergency or it’s not,” Meeks said, arguing that lawmakers should independently assess the justification for tariffs rather than defer to the executive branch.
Internal GOP Tensions
The failed vote exposed divisions within the Republican conference, particularly among members concerned about ceding too much power to the White House.
Bacon called tariffs a “net negative” for the economy and said Congress had relinquished too much authority over taxation policy.
Massie criticized leadership’s procedural maneuvers as “smoke and mirrors,” referencing prior tactics that effectively froze lawmakers’ ability to trigger votes on tariff disapproval.
While Johnson managed to persuade some holdouts after a seven-hour delay, his slim majority left little margin for defections.
Political Stakes Rising
Democrats framed the vote as a matter of constitutional balance and economic accountability, arguing that tariffs increase costs for consumers, manufacturers, and farmers.
Rep. Jim McGovern, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee, accused GOP leadership of shielding members from politically difficult votes.
Meanwhile, some Republicans, including Rep. Tom McClintock of California, supported maintaining the status quo until the Supreme Court rules.
What Happens Next?
The House Rules Committee must now draft a new procedural rule to advance other legislation that was bundled with the tariff moratorium.
More significantly, lawmakers now have a clear procedural pathway to challenge Trump’s tariff policy directly on the House floor — setting up what could become a major political and economic showdown in the weeks ahead.
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