Washington: Three lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have introduced a resolution seeking to overturn President Donald Trump’s emergency order that led to sharply higher import duties on goods from India, arguing the action oversteps executive authority and risks damaging economic ties.
The measure, brought forward by Representatives Deborah Ross, Marc Veasey and Raja Krishnamoorthi, aims to cancel trade penalties that pushed tariffs on several Indian products to as high as 50 per cent. The lawmakers described the duties as unlawful and warned they are burdening American households, disrupting supply chains and straining relations with a key international partner.
According to details released by the sponsors, the proposal would nullify an additional 25 per cent levy imposed in late August 2025 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. That increase came on top of earlier reciprocal tariffs, significantly raising costs for businesses that rely on Indian imports.
Ross highlighted the close economic links between India and her home state of North Carolina, noting that Indian firms have invested heavily in the region and support thousands of jobs, particularly in technology and life sciences. She also pointed to the strong export relationship, with local manufacturers shipping hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of goods to India each year.
Veasey echoed those concerns, saying the tariffs effectively function as a tax on American consumers already grappling with rising prices, while undermining an important economic and strategic relationship.
Krishnamoorthi, an Indian-American lawmaker, said the trade measures run counter to US interests by raising costs for consumers and employers alike. He argued that lifting the tariffs would help restore cooperation with India on economic growth and security matters.
The House resolution follows recent action in the Senate, where lawmakers advanced a bipartisan effort to rein in the president’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs, including similar duties applied to Brazil. Together, the moves signal a broader push by Democrats to reclaim congressional oversight of trade policy.
Earlier this fall, Ross, Veasey and Krishnamoorthi joined other members of Congress in urging the White House to reverse the tariff hikes and repair frayed ties with New Delhi.
The duties were introduced in stages beginning in August, when the administration announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, followed shortly by a second increase of the same size. The White House said the decision was linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, which it claimed indirectly supported Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine.
