Non-Binding Rebuke of President's Section 232 Tariffs Passes 88-11 in Senate

It's only a "baby step" toward sparing Canada, Mexico and the European Union from steel and aluminum tariffs, as Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said, but 88 senators issued a rebuke of how the president has justified steel and aluminum tariffs under the guise of national security. Eleven senators -- all Republicans -- voted no, including both senators from Idaho, Wyoming and South Carolina. The last state could be badly damaged if President Donald Trump levies tariffs on imported auto parts under the same national security justification. Corker's home state of Tennessee also would be vulnerable if an auto parts tariff is implemented.

Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., spoke against the idea of telling conferees on a spending bill that they should include language saying Congress should have a role in Section 232 determinations. This "motion to instruct," which passed July 11, is not binding on the conference committee members, he said. "We need to give [Trump] space to negotiate," Perdue said. "I believe he's a pragmatist."

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who has joined Corker's efforts to overturn the steel and aluminum tariffs, disagreed. "This does not tie the president's hands at all," he said. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, spoke in favor of the motion, even though he wholeheartedly approves of the steel tariffs as a way to get China to end its subsidized overproduction of steel. He recently blocked Corker's effort to rescind the tariffs and prevent Trump from using the 232 statute to raise tariffs on autos and auto parts. "Of course Congress should have a role in all trade policy," he said.