President Donald Trump scored a victory with a squeaker of a Senate vote late Wednesday: A resolution aimed at undoing his tariffs failed — but just barely.
S.J.Res. 49, a joint resolution terminating “the national emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump on April 2, 2025, which imposed a 10% tariff on most imports to the United States and additional duties on specified trading partners,” introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), came up short with a 49-49 tie.
🚨 #BREAKING: Measure to block Trump’s tariffs fails in the Senate, 49-49. pic.twitter.com/Otro9gVw0S
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 30, 2025
With three Republicans voting “yes” (Rand Paul (KY), Susan Collins (ME), and Lisa Murkowski (AK)), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) not voting, that left the vote at a tie, which, by rule, fails.
But then came a motion to reconsider, which was met with a motion to table.
Senate blocks resolution to undo Trump tariffs, 49-49. By rule, a tie vote fails. GOP Sens Paul, Murkowski, Collins vote yes. Whitehouse/McConnell don’t vote. Vote on motion to table to motion to reconsider – to prevent this from coming up again – has been open for nearly an hour…
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) May 1, 2025
That vote also resulted in a tie, and Vice President JD Vance was then called on to cast the tie-breaking vote, which he did. The motion to table passed, and that means this resolution won’t come back again.
So, why were McConnell and Whitehouse no-shows (keeping in mind that McConnell has previously voted in favor of a similar bill reversing Canadian tariffs earlier in April)?
McConnell and Whitehouse had both missed the two votes earlier in the day. One Senate GOP member told The Hill that McConnell was sick and unable to vote
“The Senator has been consistent in opposing tariffs and that a trade war is not in the best interest of American households and businesses. He believes that tariffs are a tax increase on everybody,” David Popp, a McConnell spokesperson, said in a statement
Whitehouse was reportedly traveling from South Korea.
So, the Trump tariffs survive a legislative challenge. Will they survive a judicial challenge? That may wind up being determined by the Court of International Trade.
And…the case has officially been transferred to the Court of International Trade.https://t.co/jOFraXt9pc
— Susie Moore ⚾️🌻🐶 (@SmoosieQ) April 28, 2025
Editor’s Note: This article was updated post-publication to reflect that the Webber case was transferred to the Court of International Trade (a U.S. federal court) rather than the International Court of Trade. Sorry, folks, my brain got tired.
Editor’s Note: President Trump is leading America into the “Golden Age” as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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