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In a significant move that underscores growing bipartisan concerns over President Trump’s trade policies, four Republican senators joined Democrats on Thursday to pass a resolution aiming to repeal the president’s global tariffs. These tariffs have notably imposed higher rates on key allies, including the European Union, Japan, and South Korea.
Among the Republicans supporting the resolution was Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky, who co-sponsored the measure. He was joined by fellow Republicans Sen. Mitch McConnell, also of Kentucky, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, highlighting a rare instance of cross-party agreement in an otherwise deeply divided political climate.
This resolution marks a turnaround from its previous failure in late April, when the Senate narrowly defeated it with a 50-49 vote. During that vote, Vice President JD Vance had stepped in to cast the deciding vote against the measure.
Notably, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, both of whom supported the resolution this time, were absent during the earlier vote in the spring. Their participation proved pivotal in swaying the outcome in favor of repealing the tariffs.
The resolution, succinctly captured in a one-page document, calls for the termination of the national emergency declaration that President Trump announced on April 2. This declaration, referred to by Trump as “Liberation Day,” had provided the legal framework for implementing widespread reciprocal tariffs on numerous countries worldwide. If enacted, the resolution would effectively put an end to this contentious national emergency status.
Passage of the measure is a symbolic victory for critics of Trump’s trade policies, but it will have little practical effect as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is unlikely to bring it up for a vote in the House and Trump is certain to veto anything that curtails his power.
Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), the lead Democratic sponsor of the resolution, said that Trump’s tariffs have increased costs for ordinary Americans.
“American families are being squeezed by prices going up and up and up. More than three-quarters of families say their monthly expenses have increased by more than $100 a month,” he said on the floor.
The Senate voted earlier this week to terminate Trump’s steep tariffs on Canada and Brazil.
Neither of those bills, however, are expected to get a vote in the House.
Paul, Collins, Murkowski and McConnell voted Wednesday to end the 35 percent tariff against Canada and the same four Republicans and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) voted Tuesday to end the 50 percent tariff on Brazil.