Bipartisan House Bill Targets Trump’s Latest Tariffs, Demands Refunds for Importers

Congress is pushing back against President Trump’s latest tariff gambit with a bipartisan bill designed to halt the temporary 10% global tariffs he slapped on imports following a major Supreme Court rebuke. Introduced by Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California, the Stop Global Tariffs Act challenges Trump’s use of a decades-old legal authority to impose these sweeping tariffs and demands refunds for businesses and consumers who have already been hit.

The tariffs in question came just hours after the Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s original tariff authority was invalid, delivering a significant blow to his trade agenda. Undeterred, the White House pivoted to section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a law written when the U.S. dollar was still tied to the gold standard. This section allows a president to impose temporary import surcharges of up to 15% for up to 150 days during “situations of fundamental international payments problems.” Trump set the fee at 10%, threatening to raise it to the maximum 15%.

But Bacon and Panetta argue this authority is outdated and improperly applied. “Across-the-board tariffs like these raise costs for families and create unnecessary economic uncertainty,” Bacon said, emphasizing the need to restore Congress’s constitutional role in trade policy. Panetta echoed this, calling on Congress to reclaim its power from the executive branch not just through lawsuits but with legislation that also compensates those harmed by the tariffs.

The bill directs the president to refund tariffs collected since February 20, 2026, and aims to restrict future unilateral tariff actions by the president. It has garnered support from several other Democrats, signaling growing congressional frustration with Trump’s aggressive and legally questionable trade tactics.

The Trump administration has yet to respond to the bill. Meanwhile, legal challenges continue to mount. The U.S. Court of International Trade recently heard arguments from American businesses and Democratic-led states contesting Trump’s use of section 122. The court is scrutinizing whether the president’s justification for the tariffs fits the law’s language about “fundamental international payments problems.”

A key unresolved issue remains how to reimburse importers who already paid the tariffs. Customs and Border Protection is preparing to accept refund claims by April 20, with over 26,000 importers signed up so far.

This bipartisan legislative effort highlights the growing resistance to Trump’s trade war tactics that have disrupted global markets, raised consumer prices, and strained relations with allies. It also underscores the broader battle over executive overreach and the constitutional balance of power. As Trump continues to wield outdated laws to impose costly tariffs, Congress is stepping up to check his authority and protect American businesses and consumers from economic chaos.