Oregon Joins Governors Urging Congress to Reclaim Tariff Powers After Trump Trade Policies Hit State Exports

With 18 other Governors, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to reclaim their authority over tariffs after imports and exports slumped following a wave of disruptive tariffs imposed by President Trump.

States Demand That Congress Take Back Control Over Tariffs

As tariff adjustments implemented by the Trump Administration are having negative effects on the states, Oregon sued the Trump Administration over new tariffs that state leaders say will raise prices and hurt the economy.

In a letter to Majority Leader Thune, Speaker Johnson, Minority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader Jeffries, signed on Wednesday, Governor Kotek joined other states urging Congress to take back control of tariffs.

The governors’ letter to Congress said, “We urge you to seize this moment, work across party lines, and restore to the American people meaningful control over trade policy that affects their daily lives.”

Tariff adjustments have rippled through every sector of the economy. By late 2025, two-thirds of Americans had expressed concern about the impact of these tariffs on their finances.

Earlier in March, 63% of registered voters said they disapprove of the Administration’s handling of tariffs.

A recent Supreme Court ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump struck down the Administration’s argument that tariffs were lawful under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

The court affirmed that the authority to set tariffs and trade policy belongs to the Congress of the United States and not the Executive Branch as a sole actor.

The Governors want Congress to cast aside any efforts to enact laws to legitimize the levies invalidated by the Supreme Court and to enact meaningful statutory constraints on presidential tariff power that allow for appropriate congressional review.

The governors said, “The Supreme Court has spoken, and now it is Congress’s turn to act.”

Trump Tariff Adjustments Put Pressure On Portland Imports And Exports

Since the start of the 2025 tariff wave, the average U.S. tariff rate jumped from 2.6% to 13%.  The tariff policy hurts trade-dependent states like Oregon. Before the U.S.-China pause, the Port of Portland projected both imports and exports would be down 30% in May.

Oregon’s economy relies heavily on international trade. Local manufacturers, farmers, ports, and small businesses are all deeply connected to global markets, and disruptions in their business spread to other local industries.

Governor Kotek has repeatedly warned that tariffs imposed without clear legal authority undermine Oregon businesses that depend on stable trade relationships, raising costs for working families.