Even stupid GOP can't take this shit...

GOP revolt sinks effort to block votes on Trump’s tariffs

The procedural measure failed 217-214.

By Mia McCarthy and Daniel Desrochers

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s bid to block future votes on President Donald Trump’s tariffs failed Tuesday after an internal GOP revolt.

Three Republican lawmakers, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Kevin Kiley of California and Don Bacon of Nebraska, joined Democrats to defeat a key procedural measure 217-214.

That gives Democrats the opportunity to force a vote as soon as this week on a resolution disapproving of the president’s 25 percent duties on Canadian goods.

House Republican leadership spent most of Tuesday whipping votes after a small group of tariff-skeptic Republicans led by Massie and Kiley pushed back against the procedural maneuver, which would keep the House from voting on resolutions disapproving of Trump’s tariffs through July. A previous GOP measure blocking tariff votes expired on Jan. 31.

Tuesday’s defeat appears to end a nearly year-long effort by Republican leadership to shield its members from politically difficult votes on tariffs, as voters and businesses tire from the uncertainty fomented by Trump’s favorite geopolitical tool.

“I don’t think that the House should be limiting the authority of members and enlarging the power of leadership at the expense of our members,” Kiley said in an interview after voting “no.”

“That’s what this does, so I think it’s important for the House as an institution,” he added.

House leaders used the procedural measure last March to block efforts to force a vote on the national emergency Trump used to implement the tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico. House Republicans voted to extend it a second time in September. In that time, the Senate has passed four resolutions disapproving of the tariffs — two related to the tariffs on Canadian goods, one on tariffs on Brazil and one on the “reciprocal” tariffs Trump has imposed on nearly every country.

Johnson on Tuesday urged his members to support the procedural measure, arguing that any disapproval vote should wait until after the Supreme Court determines whether Trump has the authority to use a 1977 economic powers law to impose sweeping tariffs across the globe. That ruling could come as late as the end of June or beginning of July.

Democrats have already prepared several tariff resolutions for a vote, hoping to force Republicans to go on the record regarding their support for Trump’s historic tariff levels.

The votes are largely symbolic — even if the Senate again approves the measures, Trump can veto the resolutions, which would take a two-thirds majority to overturn.

The House Rules Committee is expected to reconvene Tuesday night to advance a modified measure without the tariff provision, providing for floor consideration of the three bills in the original rule as well as a GOP elections bill, the SAVE America Act.