The House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday evening to terminate President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, with a vote of 219-211. Six Republicans crossed party lines to join Democrats in support of the measure, which eliminates the emergency powers used to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods in February 2025.
Vote Breakdown and Key Players
Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York forced the vote after Republican leadership failed to pass a rule on Tuesday night that would have blocked challenges to the tariffs. House Speaker Mike Johnson could tolerate only one defection due to the GOP’s slim majority. Retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine opposed the resolution, while two Republicans did not vote.
Symbolic Move Amid Senate Action
The House vote carries symbolic weight, as a similar resolution is poised to pass the Senate comfortably. The upper chamber approved a comparable measure in October, with four Republicans joining the disapproval. President Trump is expected to veto the resolution, and neither chamber appears to have the supermajority needed to override it.
Background on the Tariffs
The White House invoked a national emergency citing drug trafficking and illegal immigration at the northern border to justify the tariffs. Critics among lawmakers note that only a small portion of fentanyl enters the U.S. from Canada. Republican leaders maintain that Congress should avoid interfering with Trump’s trade agenda, despite its constitutional authority over tariffs.
Leadership Response
Speaker Johnson addressed the defections during an interview with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo. “This is life with a razor thin majority as we have,” he said. “I think it’s a big mistake. I don’t think we need to go down the road of trying to limit the president’s power when he is in the midst of negotiating America First trade agreements with nations around the world.”
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in November on whether Trump can unilaterally impose tariffs through emergency powers, adding further context to the ongoing debate.
