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Senator Chuck Schumer met with owners of Tandy Wear in...

Senator Chuck Schumer met with owners of Tandy Wear in Commack Thursday, and announced that he will introduce a bill next week to demand an end to Trump’s trade war.  Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca

Sen. Charles Schumer said Thursday he will force a vote in the Senate next week on legislation to end President Donald Trump’s tariff wars, saying they are a disaster for the economy and consumers.

"The tariffs are one giant mess," Schumer, the U.S. Senate minority leader, said at a news conference at a clothing store in Commack owned by a Trump-supporter. "It's chaos."

Schumer said he thinks some Republicans in the Senate could break with Trump to get the bill passed, and that he is hoping some Republicans in the House — including those from Long Island — would also support the measure.

The one-paragraph joint resolution states that the national emergency declared by Trump on April 2 to impose global tariffs should be terminated immediately and the tariffs imposed by Trump nullified, Schumer said. 

"Our resolution gets rid of the tariffs ... all across the world," Schumer said. "If the resolution is enacted into law, the tariffs are rescinded. Gone."

The president has the power to impose tariffs, but they must also be approved by Congress, which, under the 1976 National Emergencies Act, can end the president's emergency powers if lawmakers believe they are being abused.

Trump has said he imposed the tariffs because of a widespread trade imbalance that he contends is hurting the U.S. and has caused a "hollowing out of our manufacturing base," according to a White House fact sheet.

"Chuck Schumer railed against America’s historic and persistent trade deficits with China for years until President Trump took historic action to actually do something about China’s unfair trade practices and cheating," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in an email Thursday. "As always, Democrats are playing political games instead of working with the Trump administration to do what’s right."

Rep. Nick LaLota, (R-Amityville), said in a statement: "Schumer’s latest tariff bill isn’t serious policy — it’s political theater, and not even he believes it."

The statement added: "If Washington is serious about addressing our $1.2 trillion trade deficit and rebuilding the middle class, leaders from both parties must stop the political games and stand up to China’s theft of U.S. intellectual property and its use of near-slave labor to undercut American workers."

Schumer noted that several Republican senators voted to reject tariffs against Canada, and others have voiced concerns over the global tariffs.

One, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), is co-sponsoring Schumer’s resolution.

“Tariffs are taxes, and the power to tax belongs to Congress—not the president,” Paul said in a statement. “Our Founders were clear: tax policy should never rest in the hands of one person. Abusing emergency powers to impose blanket tariffs not only drives up costs for American families but also tramples on the Constitution. It’s time Congress reasserts its authority and restores the balance of power.”

Schumer said he hoped that Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, where farming is a big part of the economy, would also support the bill. Grassley did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Schumer spoke Thursday at TandyWear, a clothing store whose owner, Tandy Jeckel, said she voted for Trump but wants the tariffs to end.

"This global tariff war is a bit of a mess, and we can do better," Jeckel said. "Businesses and consumers are kind of wincing."

She said costs at her business have jumped by 30% since the tariff wars started.

Schumer said the tariffs have raised prices for consumers and businesses, caused job losses, eaten into people’s 401ks and retirement plans and, according to major banks and financial analysts, may send the economy into a recession if they aren’t stopped.

"These tariffs are hurting us badly," he said, adding that it is not a partisan issue but affects Democrats and Republicans alike. "It's not about politics at all."

Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 10% blanket tariff on all countries, and higher amounts on others. After some pullback on many countries, he has escalated the tariffs with China, which faces rates as high as 145%. China has retaliated with higher tariffs against the U.S.

House Republicans have passed a measure that would block any votes to repeal the tariffs before the end of September.

U.S. Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

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