The "Stop Raising Prices on Food Act" limits the President's power to impose tariffs on top countries that import U.S. agricultural goods without Congressional approval, aiming to protect the U.S. agricultural economy.
Adam Gray
Representative
CA-13
The "Stop Raising Prices on Food Act" limits the President's power to impose tariffs on the top 5 countries importing U.S. agricultural goods. Before enacting new tariffs, the President must submit a request to Congress outlining the objectives, why other options are insufficient, and the potential impact on the U.S. agricultural economy, and receive Congressional approval through a joint resolution. This ensures Congressional oversight on trade policies affecting the agricultural sector.
Bill Seeks Congressional Green Light for Presidential Tariffs on Top 5 Agricultural Trade Partners
This proposed legislation, the "Stop Raising Prices on Food Act," aims to put a check on the President's power to impose specific types of tariffs, known as "covered duties," on major agricultural trading partners. Before hitting imports from one of the top 5 countries buying U.S. agricultural goods (treating the EU as a single entity) with new or increased duties under laws like Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act or the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the President would first need explicit approval from Congress.
Shifting the Levers on Trade
The core change here is the added layer of Congressional oversight. Under this bill, if the President wants to impose these specific tariffs on a key agricultural partner – think major buyers of American corn, soybeans, or meat – they can't just issue an executive order. Instead, Section 2 mandates submitting a formal request to Congress. This request must detail the objective, explain why other methods won't work, and analyze the potential fallout for the U.S. agricultural economy. Only after Congress passes a "joint resolution of approval" can the President move forward with the proposed tariffs. This fundamentally shifts some trade authority from the executive branch to the legislative branch, specifically concerning these major agricultural markets.
The Fast Lane for Approval
To prevent delays, the bill sets up an expedited process for Congress to consider these joint resolutions. Once the President submits a request, Congress has 15 legislative days to introduce the resolution. The bill then invokes specific fast-track procedures outlined in the Trade Act of 1974 (Section 152, subsections b-f). While designed for speed, these expedited rules often limit debate time and amendments. The goal seems to be ensuring timely decisions on tariffs potentially affecting food prices and agricultural exports, but it raises questions about whether complex trade actions will receive thorough vetting under pressure. It's a trade-off between swift action, presumably to protect farmers and consumers from retaliatory tariffs or price hikes, and the potential for rushed decisions on sensitive international economic policy.