Senators Plan Bipartisan Revamp of National-Security Tariffs
- Trump used section 232 to institute duties on metals
- Proposed law would see Congress involved in tariff decision
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A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill to revamp a 1962 trade law that former President Donald Trump used to justify tariffs on billions of dollars worth of imports on national-security grounds.
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act allows for duties without a vote by Congress if imports are deemed a national-security threat. The Trump administration used the legislation to put tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum. Lawmakers complained about the White House’s actions, and the controversial duties have drawn legal challenges both in U.S. courts and at the World Trade Organization.