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Map Watch Schedule Daily Record Members Committees Legislation Nominations Money Special Rules Subpoenas House Ethics Foreign Influence Agencies Regulations Office Spending US Code

Prevent Tariff Abuse Act — HR-407 (D-WA) · Congress.wiki

Pros & Cons

The bill increases predictability for businesses and preserves Congressional control over emergency trade measures, but it reduces the executive branch's speed and flexibility to use tariffs or quotas in rapid national-security or foreign-policy crises and may force agency adjustments.

Potential Benefits

3

Small businesses and consumers: imports cannot face sudden new tariffs or quota restrictions under an IEEPA emergency, giving firms and shoppers greater price and planning predictability.
Economy
small-business-owners, taxpayers, consumers
Taxpayers and the public: the bill limits unilateral executive trade-barrier actions under IEEPA, preserving Congress's authority over tariffs and quota policy.
Government
taxpayers
Small businesses and supply-chain managers: reduces the risk of rapid trade disruptions during declared emergencies that could raise consumer prices or interrupt supply chains.
Infrastructure
small-business-owners, taxpayers

Potential Drawbacks

3

Taxpayers and businesses: the measure could constrain the U.S. ability to impose targeted import restrictions in fast-moving situations (e.g., to punish foreign actors), delaying economic responses.
Economy
taxpayers, small-business-owners
Federal employees and national security policymakers: it restricts a tool the President and agencies use to respond quickly to national-security or foreign-policy crises, potentially limiting rapid economic leverage.
National Security
federal-employees
Federal agencies and financial institutions: may create legal and procedural uncertainty for agencies that previously relied on IEEPA for tariff- or quota-related actions, requiring policy and operational adjustments.
Government
financial-institutions, federal-employees

Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.

Prohibits the President from using IEEPA authority to impose import duties, tariff-rate quotas, or other import quotas.

Affects: Federal Employees, Small Business Owners, Financial Institutions

National Security

Topics & Classification

National Security

Moderately controversial

Policy Subjects

Economy & Workforce

Tariff & Trade Policy

-1.0

Trade Unions & Labor Relations

0.0

General & Procedural

Procedural Corrections

0.0

Government & Elections

Executive & War Powers

-0.6

Who This Affects

Taxpayers

Federal Agencies

None explicitly named

Sponsors (74)

Bill Summary

Summary

Amends 50 U.S.C. 1702 to forbid the President from using emergency economic authorities under IEEPA to impose import duties, tariff-rate quotas, or other quotas on goods entering the United States. The change narrows the President’s ability to alter import tariff and quota policy during declared national emergencies, leaving other IEEPA powers intact.

Key Points

Click to see evidence

All Legislation

House Bill 407HR 407

Prevent Tariff Abuse Act

Foreign Trade and International Finance

2 pages

house
senate
president

Introduced January 15, 2025 by Suzan K. Delbene · Last progress January 15, 2025

What do you think?