Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act

Full Title:
Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act of 2026

Summary#

This bill would shift many decisions about tariffs, duties, and other trade actions from officials in the Executive Branch to Congress. It adds a new approval process in the Tariff Act that requires the President to submit a proposal to a new Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade. The Joint Committee must review and recommend the proposal, and Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval within 30 days for actions under sections such as 232, 201, 203, and 301 to take effect. Approved actions would begin 30 days after enactment and generally end after 180 days unless extended by the same congressional process.

The bill creates a Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade with 10 members drawn from the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. The Joint Committee would have staff, including a Chief of Staff and two Congressional Trade Representatives (one for negotiations and one for monitoring and enforcement), and authority to hold hearings and issue subpoenas. The bill also directs that the Joint Committee's expenses be paid half from the Senate contingent fund and half from the House contingent fund.

The bill repeals or narrows several delegated trade authorities: it repeals the balance-of-payments authority (section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974) and the authority to impose duties in response to discrimination (section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930). It changes many provisions that previously allowed the President or the U.S. Trade Representative to "take" actions into requirements to "propose" actions that must then be approved by Congress under the new process. The bill also requires that any trade agreement that would bind the country must be approved by an Act of Congress. Finally, it creates the Office of the United States Trade Representative as an agency outside the Executive Office of the President and requires appointment of an Inspector General for that Office.

What it means for you#

  • Major trade actions (for example under sections 232, 201, 203, and 301) could not go into effect unless Congress passes a joint resolution approving the President's proposal.
  • Trade agreements that would require changes to U.S. law would need a separate Act of Congress before they take effect.
  • A new Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade would review trade proposals and oversee trade negotiations and enforcement on behalf of Congress.
  • The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative would be placed outside the Executive Office of the President and have an Inspector General.

No publicly available information on how soon or precisely these changes would affect a specific business, consumer, or trade proceeding.

Expenses#

  • The bill specifies that expenses of the Joint Committee shall be paid one-half from the Senate contingent fund and one-half from the House contingent fund.
  • The bill creates new staff positions and an independent agency structure, which would entail administrative and personnel costs, but no publicly available information on total cost estimates or budgetary figures is provided in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

The bill's stated purpose (in its title and opening language) is to "reclaim the authority of Congress over the imposition of duties and other trade actions." It therefore seeks to return decision-making power over major trade measures and binding trade commitments to Congress and to increase congressional oversight of trade negotiations and enforcement.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.