US Democratic Lawmakers Move to Block Trump’s 50% Tariffs on Indian Imports:

The resolution was introduced on Friday by Congresswoman Deborah Ross of North Carolina, Congressman Marc Veasey of Texas, and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois. Their goal is to end the national emergency declared by Trump in August 2025 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, also known as IEEPA. This law allowed the Trump administration to sharply increase import duties without approval from Congress. Under Trump’s order, Indian goods were first hit with a 25 percent tariff starting August 1. Just a few days later, an additional 25 percent “secondary” tariff was added. This brought the total duty on many Indian imports to 50 percent, making them much more expensive in the US market. The White House defended the move by saying that India continued to buy oil from Russia. According to the administration, these purchases indirectly supported Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, the Democratic lawmakers strongly disagreed with this justification. They called the tariffs illegal and said they caused serious harm to American workers, consumers, and long-term relations between the United States and India. Congresswoman Deborah Ross said that North Carolina has strong economic ties with India. She explained that Indian companies have invested more than $1 billion in her state and have created thousands of jobs, especially in life sciences and technology. Ross warned that the tariffs put these jobs at risk and could damage innovation and competitiveness in the region. Congressman Marc Veasey also criticized the tariffs, saying that India is an important cultural, economic, and strategic partner of the United States. He said the tariffs act like a tax on ordinary Americans, especially families in North Texas who are already struggling with rising prices. According to Veasey, the added costs make everyday life harder for working people. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who is Indian American, said the tariff policy was counterproductive. He explained that instead of improving US security or protecting American interests, the duties disrupted supply chains, hurt American workers, and raised prices for consumers. He added that removing the tariffs would help strengthen both economic and security cooperation between Washington and New Delhi. This House resolution comes shortly after the US Senate passed a bipartisan measure to end similar emergency-based tariffs imposed on Brazil. That vote showed growing concern in Congress about the President’s use of emergency powers to change trade policy without proper oversight. The move is part of a broader effort by Democratic lawmakers to reclaim Congress’s constitutional authority over trade matters. They also hope to repair strained relations with India, which is seen as an important partner in global trade, technology, and security. Earlier in October, Ross, Veasey, and Krishnamoorthi joined Congressman Ro Khanna and 19 other lawmakers in urging Trump to reverse his tariff policies and improve ties with New Delhi. If the new resolution is passed, it would officially end the national emergency declared on August 6, 2025, and remove the additional tariffs placed on Indian imports.

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