House Democrats have a longshot plan to try to quash President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs as his administration threatens another slew of countries with orders.
The minority party has turned to a discharge petition as a way to bring all House members to a vote to possibly end Trump’s tariffs. New York Rep. Greg Meeks is encouraging lawmakers to sign his petition, which will come to the House floor if it receives enough signatures, Axios reported.
If the petition gains enough signatures, it will force a vote on Meeks’ resolution to end Trump’s emergency declaration from April, which spurred the “Liberation Day” tariffs.
However, the plan is presumably a longshot. Earlier this year, House Majority Leader Mike Johnson used a procedural move to end Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s discharge petition to allow temporary proxy voting for new parents even after the petition received enough signatures.
But as Trump’s tariff promises leave the country in economic uncertainty, Democrats hope that Republicans may break with their party to sign the petition.
A new wave of tariffs targeting several U.S. allies is on track to go into effect August 1 after Trump threatened Japan and South Korea with 25% tariffs, the European Union and Mexico with 30% tariffs and 50% tariffs for Brazil.
Though South Korea remains optimistic about reaching a deal with Trump, EU officials have expressed exasperation with Trump’s continued pressures against the largest trading partner of the U.S.
Originally published on Latin Times
