Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that it was time for Congress to restore its power over tariffs.
Partial transcript as follows:
MARGARET BRENNAN: Just to pick up on the tariffs that we’ve been speaking about, I know you are introducing companion legislation to what Senator Cantwell just laid out for us. But as I understand it, in the House, Republican leaders have already restricted the ability to rein in changes to the Mexico, Canada and China tariffs. They tucked language into the continuing resolution. Does that get in your way when you are trying to now claw back some congressional control of tariffs?
BACON: Well, first of all, good morning, Margaret. Thanks for having me on. And I enjoyed listening to Senator Cantwell. I support the legislation that Senator Grassley, Senator Cantwell, we have a total of seven Republicans in the Senate, and I have some beginning support on the House side, which we’ll unveil tomorrow. It will be harder to pass this in the House. No doubt. I think if we get 60 votes in the Senate, they’ll put pressure on the House to look at this. And if we continue to see the stock market go a certain direction, or if we see inflation or unemployment shift in a bad way, I think then this bill becomes a very viable bill. So it will not pass tomorrow, or maybe in the next couple of weeks, but this will be in the queue that we can use, and it’s time that Congress restores its authorities here. And the Constitution is clear, the House and the Senate, Congress, has the power of tariffs and taxes, and we gave some of that power to the executive branch, and I think in hindsight, that was a mistake.
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