Valley lawmaker working to protect Congress’s authority to regulate trade as Trump’s tariff war continues
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A bipartisan effort to rein in President Donald Trump’s tariff authority is being considered in Washington, D.C., as markets around the nation have been volatile since last week.
Now, a valley lawmaker is weighing in on what Congress can do to bring tariff authority back to the legislative branch, just as the framers of the Constitution intended.
Since Trump’s April 2 announcement of worldwide tariffs levied against trade partners, markets have been a roller coaster, with concerns reaching us right here in the valley.
North Valley Congressman Adam Gray represents California’s 13th Congressional District, encompassing much of the agriculturally rich Merced area.
“With our ag exports and our ag economy, it’s a really significant and challenging time,” Gray said.
Now, as the president announces a plan to pause some tariffs against most nations, some lawmakers, including Gray, are working across the aisle to take back control of Congress’s authority to regulate trade.
“You know, the Constitution lays that power with Congress,” he said.
Article 1, Section 10, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution gives Congress the power to revise and control tariffs.
Since its adoption, however, that power has slowly been shifted to the executive branch, something Gray hopes will change through legislation.
“And I think we gotta make sure that Congress can take a look at this, and the bill I’ve signed onto would ensure that any administration, not just this one, couldn’t just enact tariffs at their, you know, whenever they feel like it,” Gray said.
Now, a bipartisan effort has been growing to take back that authority, with recent bills passed in the Senate and being considered in the House of Representatives.
“In this instance, the damage the president has caused to our economy, you’re seeing our Republicans and Democrats say this is too much, and we’ve got to reign in the president’s power to enact tariffs,” he added.
Still, even if this effort becomes a reality, Trump has threatened to veto any bill to limit his authority on tariffs.
The House and Senate would need a two-thirds majority in each chamber to override that veto.