A new US House resolution challenges Trump’s emergency tariffs on India, citing damage to workers, consumers, and ties.
Three influential members of the US House of Representatives have introduced a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration that enabled tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian imports. The lawmakers described the duties as illegal, counterproductive, and damaging to workers, consumers, and the broader US–India relationship.
The initiative, led by Representatives Deborah Ross of North Carolina, Marc Veasey of Texas, and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, follows a bipartisan Senate effort to roll back similar tariffs on Brazil and limit presidential use of emergency powers for trade actions. Their resolution seeks to rescind the additional 25 percent “secondary” duties imposed on India on August 27, 2025, which came on top of earlier reciprocal tariffs. Together, these measures raised duties on many Indian‑origin products to 50 percent under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Congresswoman Ross emphasized the deep economic ties between North Carolina and India, noting that Indian firms have invested more than a billion dollars in the state, creating thousands of jobs. She added that local manufacturers export hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of goods to India each year, including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and advanced machinery. “When Trump destabilises this relationship with illegal tariffs, he puts North Carolina jobs, innovation, and our long‑term competitiveness at risk,” Ross said.
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Congressman Veasey highlighted the impact on everyday Texans, describing the tariffs as a tax on families already struggling with rising costs. “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 affordability at every level,” he stated.
Broader Democratic Push Against Trump’s Trade Agenda
Krishnamoorthi, an Indian‑American lawmaker, called the duties counterproductive, arguing that they disrupt supply chains, harm American workers, and increase consumer prices. “Instead of advancing American interests or security, these duties disrupt supply chains, harm American workers, and drive up costs for consumers. Ending these damaging tariffs will allow the United States to engage with India to advance our shared economic and security needs,” he said.
The resolution is part of a broader Democratic push to contest Trump’s unilateral trade actions and recalibrate relations with India. In October, Ross, Veasey, and Krishnamoorthi, joined by Congressman Ro Khanna and 19 other members of Congress, wrote to the President urging a reversal of the tariff policy and repair of strained bilateral ties.
Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods beginning August 1, followed by another 25 per cent increase days later, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. He argued that such imports fuel Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. The combined duties reached 50 per cent, making them the highest in the world.
