Senators Maria Cantwell, Chuck Grassley introduce bipartisan bill to check Trump’s power to unilaterally set tariffs “This bill reasserts Congress’s role over trade policy to ensure rules-based trade policies are transparent, consistent, and benefit the American public," Cantwell said. Our very own United States Senator Maria Cantwell announced this morning that Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa has joined her in introducing new legislation that would check Donald Trump’s power to unilaterally set tariffs. While the legislation may not go anywhere in the Senate — or die in the Republican-controlled House even if it did — it indicates that more Republicans are finding it hard to stomach what Trump is doing. Notably, Grassley was not one of the four Republicans who crossed over to support Tim Kaine’s resolution to rescind Trump’s tariffs against Canada yesterday. But today, Grassley went on record as saying he wants Congress to reclaim at least some of its constitutional authority to set tariffs for the United States. “Trade wars can be as devastating, which is why the Founding Fathers gave Congress the clear constitutional authority over war and trade,” said Cantwell in a statement. “This bill reasserts Congress’s role over trade policy to ensure rules-based trade policies are transparent, consistent, and benefit the American public.”