Congress is increasingly impatient with President Trump’s trade strategy and pursuit of tariffs on trading partners, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady said Wednesday.
“There is a growing frustration that the administration is not listening to the concerns of Congress on tariffs” or exemptions for key trading partners, the Texas Republican told reporters at the Capitol.
Brady’s committee is responsible for oversight of trade matters. He said Wednesday that he wants the administration to explain its trade strategy both publicly and privately with members of the committee.
“The administration has to do a better job of explaining the strategy of these moves and where it wants to get to,” Brady said.
Congressional Republicans are increasingly at odds with the White House, as Trump pursues tariffs on goods from trading partners like Canada and Europe.
In the Senate, Bob Corker of Tennessee has moved to pursue legislation to give Congress the ability to block Trump’s tariffs. Trump has the ability to levy tariffs through a national security law.
House Speaker Paul Ryan steered clear of endorsing the legislation Wednesday. Brady did too, but added that “there is a growing frustration in the House about the impact of these tariffs back home and the need for a much stronger partnership with administration on the strategy.”
