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Speaker Mike Johnson failed to reinstate a ban on lawmakers’ ability to challenge President Donald Trump’s tariffs when three Republicans crossed party lines to vote with Democrats.
The House sank a procedural vote Tuesday night that contained language blocking votes in the chamber that object to Trump’s tariffs through July. The move opens the door for Democrats to move forward with forcing votes to repeal the president’s tariffs, in a blow to the administration.
With razor-thin margins in the House, three Republicans – GOP Reps. Thomas Massie, Don Bacon and Kevin Kiley – were enough to sink the vote. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote to advance legislation with his current margin.
The Senate has passed at least three resolutions rebuking Trump’s tariffs, but routinely ran into resistance in the House where members were blocked from forcing votes on the matter.
Following the vote, Bacon said in a statement that he doesn’t “like putting the important work of the House on pause, but Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs.”
The Nebraska congressman went on to say that “tariffs have been a ‘net negative’ for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying.”
“Article I of the Constitution places authority over taxes and tariffs with Congress for a reason, but for too long, we have handed that authority to the executive branch. It’s time for Congress to reclaim that responsibility,” he wrote on X.
GOP leaders had argued that lawmakers should support the rule to allow the Supreme Court time to weigh in.
Johnson, however, acknowledged the challenges he faces with such slim margins in the House.
“Look, this is life with a small majority. I mean, you know, I need unanimity every day, and we didn’t get it tonight,” he told reporters after the vote.
“The vast majority of the House Republicans agree wholeheartedly with the president, and we’re going to give him the latitude to continue his trade policy,” he said.
PHOTO:House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks at the US Capitol on Tuesday, in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
