Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to limit President Trump’s trade authority, said on Tuesday that he thinks Congress has “delegated too much authority to the president.”
“I made very clear throughout my public service that I’m a free and fair trader. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. I believe that Congress delegated too much authority to the president in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Trade Act of 1974,” Grassley said.
“That said, I support President Trump’s agenda to lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers other countries impose on American goods. I support President Trump’s agenda to get a better deal from China and other countries for our farmers and manufacturers,” he added.
His comments on Tuesday morning came as the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as part of a hearing focused on the president’s trade policy agenda.
During the hearing, Grassley pointed to Trump’s recent sweeping tariffs, while noting retaliation from other countries after the president levied a 10 percent base tariff on imports from nearly all foreign trading partners last week, as well as higher reciprocal taxes on many of them.
Grassley said he has been “very vocal in my wait and see approach to these tariffs” because he believes Trump officials are using the measures to “get fairer trade for Americans with many countries.”
“My question to you is, in the medium to the long term, do you plan to turn these tariffs into trade deals to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers?” he said to Greer. “I support that. On the other hand, if the purpose is to stall on negotiations in order to keep tariffs high for the sole purpose of feeding the US Treasury. I oppose that.”
The Iowa Republican then asked, “So, is this administration for trade reciprocity or for Treasury replenishment?”
In response, Greer pointed to recent remarks from the president, saying Trump “stated very clearly that he is happy to engage in negotiations immediately with countries that believe that they can help us reduce our deficit and get rid of the non-tariff barriers and the tariffs affect that.”
He added that the answer to Grassley’s question “is it’s going to be country by country.”
“There are going to be some countries where they’re not able to address their non-tariff barriers or their tariffs, or the deficit fully, and there will be others who I think will be able to do that, and where the president will have the option of making a deal with them,” the trade representative continued. “So we’re certainly seeking reciprocity.”
He continued, suggesting a revenue effect was “obviously” going to happen after imposing new tariffs. Greer pointed to the Trump administration’s argument that the new import taxes will boost domestic manufacturing and lead to more investment in the U.S.
“But … we need to reshore manufacturing, we need to get rid of our agricultural deficit, and we need to make sure that if countries are going to trade with us, it has to be on a reciprocal basis,” he said.
Seven GOP senators have signaled support for the bipartisan bill, introduced by Grassley and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), which would require Congress to approve further tariffs on foreign trading partners.
