By MATT BROWN
“As a matter of policy, the empty merits of sweeping trade wars with America’s friends were evident long before today’s decision,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement. “But as a matter of Constitutional authority, there is now no room for doubt: the use of IEEPA to circumvent Congress in the imposition of tariffs – already without precedent – is also illegal.”
“If the executive would like to enact trade policies that impact American producers and consumers, its path forward is crystal clear: convince their representatives under Article 1,” said the former Republican Senate leader.
Other senators also chimed in approvingly after the court’s decision.
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling reaffirms that only Congress has the constitutional authority to impose tariffs, and the President can only do so under a clear and limited delegation of authority from Congress,” Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine wrote on social media.
Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah declared “that the Founders’ system of checks and balances remains strong nearly 250 years later.” But Curtis noted that the tariff saga may not be over.
“Several questions remain unanswered, including what happens to the revenue already collected and how the administration may use alternative authorities to impose tariffs,” said Curtis.
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