At least a dozen House Republicans are mulling whether to sign onto Rep. Don Back’s (R-NE) bill which would restrict the White House’s ability to unilaterally impose tariffs, Axios reports.
Bacon is crafting a companion bill to the Trade Review Act of 2025 introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), which would require the president to notify Congress of any new tariffs within 48 hours with the administration’s reasoning as well as an analysis of their economic impacts.
The bill would cause any tariffs to expire after 40 days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval. It would also give Congress the ability to pass a resolution of disapproval which would eliminate the tariffs within the 40 day period.
According to Bacon, Reps. Jeff Hurd (R-CO) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) along with two Democrats have signed onto the bill as co-sponsors.
“I have 10 others who want to do it but they want to talk to the trade representative first,” Bacon told the outlet.
That said, some House Republicans claim (anonymously) that they would support the bill, however Trump has vowed to veto it if it comes across his desk (making the entire effort performative).
According to Bacon, he’s in no rush to force the issue and bring the bill up for a vote, but he isn’t ruling out an effort to bring it to the House floor.
“I don’t think it’s likely for this next month, maybe two months. I want that bill sitting there, and as we study the stock market, inflation, unemployment, this may be a viable way,” Bacon said.
“There is a prospect” that he ends up instead introducing a discharge petition – a procedural maneuver that, if signed by 218 members, can bypass leadership and force a vote on any bill.
Only to face the Senate, and then get Trump’s veto.
