Sen. Blumenthal Supports Toomey Approach on Section 232 Tariffs
A senator who has not yet signed on to either current Senate bill tackling national security tariffs says he prefers the stronger approach taken by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. (see 1901310029). Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a phone call from Connecticut that he believes that because Toomey's bill requires Congress to act within 60 days to accept or reject new tariffs, it would still allow the tariffs to be used in true national emergencies. Blumenthal said that because the approach taken in the other bill, sponsored by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, (see 1902060051) -- essentially a disapproval resolution after tariffs are announced, giving Congress power to overrule the president on future Section 232 tariff actions -- it would require veto-proof majorities to change the White House's course. "In this day and age, veto-proof majorities are pretty rare," Blumenthal said.
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The current steel and aluminum tariffs are not protecting the military capabilities of the United States, he said. "I don't know how to put this politely," he said, before saying that there is "no factual and legal basis" for the Section 232 tariffs now in place. He said there are other tariffs that are suited for protecting economic and commercial interests, but those need to show there is an injury to domestic firms.
Blumenthal said he will be interested to see how Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, writes a bill on the topic. He said he's thinking he'll co-sponsor Grassley's bill, Toomey's bill, or both. When asked if he thinks any effort to constrain the president's use of national security tariffs can get enough support to surmount a veto, he said it's quite possible. "This issue comes about as close as any so far," he said. "There's just tremendous dissent with how the law has been applied." But, he said, there have been lots of times his Republican colleagues talked "about opposing the president and then vote with him." So a veto-proof majority "is by no means a sure thing."
If the president were to announce a plan to increase tariffs on autos -- he has 90 days from Feb. 17 to do so -- Blumenthal said, "it would provide a burst of momentum to support something. But again, Republicans opposing the president, that's an open question."