Washington, D.C. — This week, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander joined the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force in filing an amicus brief challenging President Donald Trump’s sweeping and chaotic tariffs unlawfully imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The lawmakers’ brief stands up for Congress’s Article I exclusive legislative power to impose tariffs and regulate commerce, and argues that IEEPA does not give the President the power to impose reckless, on-again-off-again tariffs, which have wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy. The amicus brief was filed in the matter of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al., which was brought forth by 12 States’ Attorneys General.
“Our Constitution grants Congress, not the President, the power to impose tariffs. The President may raise tariffs only pursuant to a lawful Congressional delegation of Congress’s Article I, Section 8 power,” the Members wrote.
“As Members of Congress, [we] will not stand idly by while the President usurps an effectively unbounded authority over American tariffs and trade. When the President wishes to impose tariffs, he must do so in accordance with the many lawful delegations of trade power that Congress has enacted over more than 50 years or, if existing authorities are insufficient, ask Congress to provide him with additional authorities,” the Members continued.
The full brief is available HERE.
For more information on the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force’s efforts to protect Americans against the unlawful actions of the Trump Administration, visit litigationandresponse.house.gov.
