Democrats eye fresh challenge to Trump's tariff agenda

Washington US President Donald Trump’s trade agenda could face increased scrutiny if Democrats gain control of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, with lawmakers expected to pursue oversight hearings and symbolic votes aimed at rolling back several of his tariffs. Democrats are seeking to introduce legislation to reverse many of Trump's import duties and repeal the trade laws used to impose them. However, their efforts could face significant obstacles as Trump retains presidential veto powers, making it difficult for opposition lawmakers to overturn his policies without a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said repealing tariffs imposed on Canadian goods would be among the party's priorities. "One of the most obvious priorities would be repealing Trump’s tariffs on Canada, which are raising prices and harming communities on both sides of the border," Wyden said. Democrats need a net gain of four seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to overturn the narrow Republican majorities. While opinion polls favour Democrats in the House contest, the Senate race remains uncertain. One proposed legislative measure is Senator Chuck Schumer’s End Trump's Tariff Tax Act. The bill seeks to repeal Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which supports punitive tariffs on Canadian goods, and Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, used for Trump's temporary 10% global tariffs. It also proposes refunds of duties collected under these provisions. Trade expert William Reinsch said Democrats could struggle to get legislation passed without veto-proof majorities. A Democratic takeover of congressional trade committees could nevertheless lead to investigations into tariff exemptions, their impact on small businesses and investment commitments made by Japan, South Korea and other trading partners.