Print
House Concurrent Resolution 4 - Introduced
A Concurrent Resolution 1urging Congress to reassert
2its constitutional authority over international
3commerce.
4WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 8 of the United States
5Constitution confers upon Congress the exclusive
6authority “[t]o regulate Commerce with foreign
7Nations...”;and
8WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 8 of the United States
9Constitution states that “[t]he Congress shall have
10the Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts
11and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the
12common Defense and general Welfare of the United
13States...”;and
14WHEREAS, international commerce is a global and
15domestic economic engine that supports millions of jobs
16across the United States;and
17WHEREAS, tariffs are taxes that are placed on goods
18entering the United States;and
19WHEREAS, the cost of tariffs is ultimately borne by
20American consumers through higher prices, which may
21harm the American workers and families tariffs purport
22to help;and
23WHEREAS, many United States manufacturers rely on
24imported components, and the tariffs imposed on those
25imported components have threatened the manufacturing
26jobs they were intended to protect and have undermined
27America’s enviable economic growth;and
-1-1WHEREAS, proposals to impose a 25 percent tariff
2on imported automobiles and automobile components
3would ultimately increase prices for consumers, put
4American jobs at risk, and are opposed by the United
5States automobile industry because they would harm that
6industry and many related industries;and
7WHEREAS, the International Emergency Economic Powers
8Act authorizes the President of the United States to
9take certain actions with respect to international
10commerce following the declaration of a national
11emergency;and
12WHEREAS, Congress delegated to the President of
13the United States limited power to enact tariffs in
14certain circumstances through the enactment of the
15Trade Expansion Act of 1962;and
16WHEREAS, several legal scholars regard using the
17threat of tariffs under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962
18as leverage in trade negotiations as unlawful given the
19Act’s singular focus on national security threats;and
20WHEREAS, using national security as a rationale
21to impose tariffs on our closest allies and other
22strategic economic partners reduces their incentive to
23cooperate with the United States on trade challenges
24that are of mutual concern;NOW THEREFORE,
25BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
26SENATE CONCURRING, That the General Assembly calls on
27Congress to reassert its authority under Article 1,
28Section 8 of the United States Constitution to regulate
29international commerce and the enactment of tariffs;
30and
-2- 1BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the General Assembly
2calls on Congress to approve legislation to require
3congressional approval in order for tariffs to be
4imposed under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of
51962 and the International Emergency Economic Powers
6Act;and
7BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
8Resolution be transmitted to the President of the
9United States, the United States Secretary of State,
10the United States Trade Representative, the Director
11of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, the
12chairperson and ranking member of the United States
13Senate Committee on Finance, the chairperson and
14ranking member of the United States House Committee on
15Ways and Means, and each member of Iowa’s congressional
16delegation.
-3-jda/rn
A Concurrent Resolution 1urging Congress to reassert
2its constitutional authority over international
3commerce.
4WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 8 of the United States
5Constitution confers upon Congress the exclusive
6authority “[t]o regulate Commerce with foreign
7Nations...”;and
8WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 8 of the United States
9Constitution states that “[t]he Congress shall have
10the Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts
11and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the
12common Defense and general Welfare of the United
13States...”;and
14WHEREAS, international commerce is a global and
15domestic economic engine that supports millions of jobs
16across the United States;and
17WHEREAS, tariffs are taxes that are placed on goods
18entering the United States;and
19WHEREAS, the cost of tariffs is ultimately borne by
20American consumers through higher prices, which may
21harm the American workers and families tariffs purport
22to help;and
23WHEREAS, many United States manufacturers rely on
24imported components, and the tariffs imposed on those
25imported components have threatened the manufacturing
26jobs they were intended to protect and have undermined
27America’s enviable economic growth;and
-1-1WHEREAS, proposals to impose a 25 percent tariff
2on imported automobiles and automobile components
3would ultimately increase prices for consumers, put
4American jobs at risk, and are opposed by the United
5States automobile industry because they would harm that
6industry and many related industries;and
7WHEREAS, the International Emergency Economic Powers
8Act authorizes the President of the United States to
9take certain actions with respect to international
10commerce following the declaration of a national
11emergency;and
12WHEREAS, Congress delegated to the President of
13the United States limited power to enact tariffs in
14certain circumstances through the enactment of the
15Trade Expansion Act of 1962;and
16WHEREAS, several legal scholars regard using the
17threat of tariffs under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962
18as leverage in trade negotiations as unlawful given the
19Act’s singular focus on national security threats;and
20WHEREAS, using national security as a rationale
21to impose tariffs on our closest allies and other
22strategic economic partners reduces their incentive to
23cooperate with the United States on trade challenges
24that are of mutual concern;NOW THEREFORE,
25BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
26SENATE CONCURRING, That the General Assembly calls on
27Congress to reassert its authority under Article 1,
28Section 8 of the United States Constitution to regulate
29international commerce and the enactment of tariffs;
30and
-2- 1BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the General Assembly
2calls on Congress to approve legislation to require
3congressional approval in order for tariffs to be
4imposed under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of
51962 and the International Emergency Economic Powers
6Act;and
7BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
8Resolution be transmitted to the President of the
9United States, the United States Secretary of State,
10the United States Trade Representative, the Director
11of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, the
12chairperson and ranking member of the United States
13Senate Committee on Finance, the chairperson and
14ranking member of the United States House Committee on
15Ways and Means, and each member of Iowa’s congressional
16delegation.
-3-jda/rn