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Supreme Court Balks, but Congress Should Act to Restore Its Authority over Trade Policy

07.09.2020

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962—the so‐called national security statute—gives the president vast latitude to identify and define the nature of a threat to national security and to determine appropriate actions to mitigate that threat. President Trump has invoked this statute more frequently than any other president, most notoriously in cases resulting in tariffs on steel and aluminum from allied countries. The Cato Institute recently held a public forum to discuss policy options and the broader range of trade laws where Congress seems to have ceded. MMM’s Don Cameron was invited to be a part of the panel. The webinar, “Supreme Court Balks, but Congress Should Act to Restore Its Authority over Trade Policy,” may be viewed here.