Summary

Requires Congress to approve any presidential imposition of import duties after the law takes effect (except full embargoes). The President must submit a written proposal and rationale, and an affirmative joint resolution enacted into law is required before duties may be imposed under the Trade Act, Tariff Act, Trade Expansion Act, IEEPA, Trading with the Enemy Act, trade-agreement implementing laws, and related customs and trade statutes. The change shifts authority to set or impose new import duties from sole executive action to a congressional enactment process, narrowing existing executive emergency and trade authorities while preserving the ability to impose total embargoes or exclude all articles of a type without the congressional procedure.

• President must send Congress a proposal and rationale before imposing import duties under covered statutes.
• No new import duty may take effect unless Congress enacts a joint resolution approving it into law.
• Exception preserves the President's authority to impose total embargoes or exclude all articles of a type without prior congressional approval.
• Approval requirement covers major trade and emergency statutes (Tariff Act, Trade Act, Trade Expansion Act, IEEPA, Trading with the Enemy Act, and trade agreement laws).
• Shifts practical authority over imposition of duties from the executive branch to Congress, adding legislative review and delay.
• Does not itself set tariffs or appropriate funding; it changes the process for imposing duties.
• Could limit the President's ability to act quickly in emergencies when duties are the chosen tool, except for full embargoes.
• May increase congressional involvement in trade policy and raise separation-of-powers and legal questions about emergency authorities.
• Likely to affect importers, domestic industries competing with imports, consumers (via prices), and U.S. trade partners.
• Effective upon enactment for any duties imposed on or after that date.