The US House of Representatives has voted to rescind the tariffs imposed on Canadian goods by President Donald Trump, with a 219-211 vote, reports BBC.
Six Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in supporting a resolution aimed at ending the tariffs, which were imposed last year.
While the vote is largely symbolic, it still requires approval by the US Senate and President Trump’s signature, which is highly unlikely. Since his re-election, Trump has enforced several tariffs on Canada, even threatening a 100% import tax in retaliation for Canada’s proposed trade deal with China.
As the vote occurred on the House floor, Trump posted on Truth Social, stating, “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time.” He continued, “TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.”
The vote followed an unsuccessful attempt by US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump ally, to block the discussion on Trump’s tariffs. Despite Republicans holding a thin majority in the House, the six Republican defections, along with unanimous Democrat support, ensured the passage of the measure.
Democrat Gregory Meeks, who introduced the measure, argued that Trump had “weaponized tariffs” against allies, destabilizing the global economy. “Not only have these tariffs harmed our relationship with Canada, pushing them closer to China, but they have also driven up prices at home,” he stated before the vote.
Representative Don Bacon from Nebraska, one of the six Republicans who sided with Democrats, described tariffs as a “net negative” for the economy, noting that they were a significant tax burden on American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers.
The bill now moves to the US Senate, where Republicans maintain the majority. Even if it clears the Senate, it is unlikely to be signed into law by Trump.
In addition to the ongoing legislative effort, Trump’s tariffs are facing legal scrutiny, with the US Supreme Court set to rule on a case regarding the president’s legal authority to impose these levies.
Meeks, the top Democrat on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that the Canadian tariff measure is the first of several bills he plans to introduce aimed at rolling back Trump’s trade policies. “Our fight doesn’t stop here,” he said in a video posted online before the vote. “I have resolutions also to end Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Brazil, and his Liberation Day global tariffs.”
