Sinema reintroduced her Trade Security Act to prevent unnecessary trade wars
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema joined Republican Senator Rob Portman (Ohio) to reintroduce the Trade Security Act, which helps prevent unnecessary trade wars that hurt Arizona jobs.
The Senators’ bipartisan bill makes commonsense reforms to ensure that any tariffs implemented in the interest of national security are justified by the Department of Defense and overseen by Congress.
“Preventing harmful tariffs caused by unnecessary trade wars will save Arizona jobs and protect Arizona families and businesses from higher prices,” said Sinema.
Specifically, the bill splits existing presidential authority to levy taxes into an investigation phase (led by the Department of Defense) and a remedy phase (led by the Department of Commerce). Splitting these responsibilities, while guaranteeing the two departments communicate at all stages of the process, plays to each department’s strengths to ensure that the statute is used for genuine national security purposes.
The bill also requires the Department of Defense—instead of the Department of Commerce—to justify the national security basis for new tariffs levied by the president and to make the determination about the national security threat posed by imports of certain products.