Murkowski Seeks to Reassert Congressional Power over Foreign Trade and Tariffs

Murkowski Seeks to Reassert Congressional Power over Foreign Trade and Tariffs

Washington, DC - This week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined a majority of her colleagues in voting to reassert congressional authority over foreign trade and to terminate the President's emergency declarations to place tariffs on Canada, Brazil, and other countries.

This vote series follows Senator Murkowski joining her colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, urging the Court to affirm lower court rulings that the President's use of an emergency declaration in this context violates federal law. As outlined in Article I of the Constitution, the authority to "regulate commerce with foreign nations" rests with Congress.

"For too long, Congress has taken a backseat as presidents of both parties have slowly seized more and more power," Murkowski said. "This series of votes isn't just about registering the Senate's disapproval of the President's emergency declaration on tariffs-it's about Congress reasserting our authority as a co-equal branch of government with defined powers and responsibilities."

The measures passed by the Senate this week - S.J.Res. 81, S.J.Res. 77, and S.J.Res 88 - will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Background: In April 2025, Senator Murkowski delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging her colleagues to reassert Congress' constitutional power over foreign trade, including tariffs. Her remarks came after the Senate declined to terminate an emergency declaration from President Trump that was used to justify imposing tariffs on Canada. Senator Murkowski, alongside a bipartisan group of senators, has also introduced the Trade Review Act of 2025-modeled after the War Powers Resolution of 1973-which would reestablish limits on the President's ability to impose tariffs without congressional approval.

Last week, Senator Murkowski joined her colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the President's authority to issue tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The Senators argue that the statute-meant to be invoked in "unusual or extraordinary" circumstances-does not explicitly provide the executive branch with the authority to levy tariffs, rendering the President's actions unlawful.

This week, the Senate voted on three separate resolutions to terminate the trade emergencies involving Brazil, Canada, and global tariffs more broadly. The measures passed the Senate by bipartisan votes of 52-48, 50-46, and 51-47, respectively.

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