In a direct challenge to executive trade authority, three members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a resolution on Friday aimed at terminating President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration that imposed tariffs of up to 50 percent on imports from India. The lawmakers labeled the measures “illegal” and warned they are harming American workers, consumers, and a critical bilateral relationship.
The resolution is spearheaded by Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL). It mirrors a recent bipartisan Senate effort to roll back similar tariffs on Brazil and to curtail the presidential use of emergency powers to unilaterally raise import duties.
At issue are the additional 25 percent “secondary” duties imposed on India on August 27, 2025, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). These were levied on top of earlier reciprocal tariffs, bringing the total duty on many Indian-origin products to 50 percent. The Trump administration justified the steep tariffs, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, which it claimed financially supports Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
The congressional resolution seeks to fully rescind these additional tariffs, arguing they were enacted under an illegitimate use of emergency powers.
The representatives framed their push as a defense of American economic interests and a necessary repair to a key international partnership.
“North Carolina’s economy is deeply connected to India through trade, investment, and a vibrant Indian American community,” said Congresswoman Ross. She noted that Indian companies have invested over a billion dollars in her state, creating thousands of jobs in sectors like life sciences and technology, while North Carolina manufacturers export hundreds of millions of dollars in goods to India annually.
Congressman Veasey emphasized the direct impact on constituents, stating, “India is an important cultural, economic, and strategic partner, and these illegal tariffs are a tax on everyday North Texans who are already struggling with rising costs.”
Indian-American Congressman Krishnamoorthi argued the tariffs are self-defeating. “Instead of advancing American interests or security, these duties disrupt supply chains, harm American workers, and drive up costs for consumers,” he said. “Ending these damaging tariffs will allow the United States to engage with India to advance our shared economic and security needs.”
This move is not isolated. It represents a growing effort among congressional Democrats to challenge unilateral trade measures and reset U.S. relations with India. In October, Ross, Veasey, Krishnamoorthi, along with Congressman Ro Khanna and 19 other members, had already urged the President to reverse the tariff policies.
A release accompanying the resolution framed it as a constitutional check: “Ending Trump’s India tariffs is part of a broader effort by congressional Democrats to reclaim Congress' constitutional authority over trade and to stop the President from using emergency powers to unilaterally impose his misguided trade policies.”
The resolution adds to the escalating tension between Congress and the executive branch over the scope of trade powers. Its passage would represent a significant bipartisan rebuke of the use of national emergency declarations for trade policy and a substantive step toward de-escalating economic tensions with India, a nation both parties have long viewed as a pivotal democratic and strategic counterweight in Asia.
Whether it garners sufficient Republican support to advance remains a key question, but the introduction underscores a determined push to legislatively unwind tariffs that critics say have backfired, taxing American businesses and consumers while straining a vital partnership.
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