House Challenges Senate Trade Bills With 100%-Plus Russia Tariffs and 2-Year AGOA Extension
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 10
House Challenges Senate Trade Bills With 100%-Plus Russia Tariffs and 2-Year AGOA Extension
1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 10
Summary
September House action will test two Senate-passed trade measures: a Russia sanctions bill granting new tariff powers and a funding patch carrying a two-year AGOA and Haiti trade-program extension.
Triple-digit tariff language in the Russia bill faces the sharper resistance, with House trade offices wary of expanding presidential tariff authority and Democrats calling the current text unacceptable.
32 senators backed an amendment to strip the tariff provision, but the White House’s support and the bill’s Ukraine-related politics could make House Republicans reluctant to oppose the package outright.
AGOA itself appears less controversial in the House, which had already backed a three-year extension, though its fate could still be tied up in broader spending fights over grant approvals and ICE funding.
The House debate lands as the Trump administration is also defending tariffs after July payrolls fell by 23,000 and as progressives fault its critical-minerals deals for disclosing terms in fewer than half of more than two dozen agreements.