TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the motion to instruct conferees dealing with tariffs offered by Senator Corker to H.R. 5895.
The Chamber is deeply concerned with the unrestricted use of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose new tariffs. Article I of the Constitution vests Congress with the exclusive authority to regulate foreign trade and levy taxes, including tariffs. The Congress delegated to the President the authority to impose tariffs, without Congressional oversight in 1962.
The motion offered by Senator Corker would instruct H.R. 5895 conferees to include a provision in the conference report providing a role for Congress in making a determination under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Such a proposal would allow the President to retain the power to impose tariffs in certain circumstances with the assent of Congress. Given the recent use of Section 232 to impose tariffs on products from a range of nations—including some of America's closest allies—and the future prospects to impose tariffs on imported automobile and automobile parts, this change is appropriate and necessary.
The serious negative economic impacts on the United States caused by the imposition of tariffs and the subsequent retaliation are detailed at www.uschamber.com/tariffs.
The Chamber urges the Congress to approve legislation to require congressional approval of Section 232 tariffs. The Corker motion to instruct is a first step towards that goal. We urge the Senate to pass the Corker motion to instruct, but much more importantly to pass actual legislation requiring Congressional approval of Section 232 tariffs. The Chamber will consider including votes on such legislation in our How They Votedscorecard.
Sincerely,
Jack Howard
Senior Vice President
Congressional and Public Affairs
