In a letter sent Wednesday to congressional leaders, the governors called for legislation requiring congressional review before broad tariffs can be imposed under emergency powers.
Gov. Ned Lamont and the governors of 18 other states are urging Congress to place new limits on presidential tariff authority following a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a letter sent Wednesday to congressional leaders, the governors called for legislation requiring congressional review before broad tariffs can be imposed under emergency powers.
The request follows
the court’s decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, which found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize presidents to impose tariffs. In a 6-3 ruling, the court said Congress did not clearly grant that authority.
The decision invalidated a wide range of tariffs imposed during President Donald Trump’s second term tied to national emergency declarations related to drug trafficking and trade deficits. The tariffs affected imports from countries including Canada, Mexico and China.
Connecticut companies have cited tariffs as a financial pressure. Ethan Allen Interiors recently said tariffs weighed on earnings and contributed to workforce reductions, while Stanley Black & Decker has said it is shifting manufacturing out of China in response to trade policy changes.
The issue remains the subject of ongoing legal challenges.
Connecticut, along with more than 20 other states, recently filed a lawsuit arguing that new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the Trade Act of 1974 suffer from the same legal defects identified by the Supreme Court.
The governors’ letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. It urges Congress to establish statutory guardrails ensuring lawmakers review major tariff actions before they take effect.
