Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced his list of reciprocal tariffs on a day heralded as "Liberation Day." That didn't sit well with some, though, as the Senate put forth a resolution on Wednesday night to scrap tariffs. The plan failed, though, thanks to attendance issues from senators who previously supported such plans to do with tariffs.
The ultimate vote was 49-49, and given McConnell's support for a similar bill to do with tariffs on Canada, as well as how every other present Democrat voted for the resolution, these absences are almost certainly to blame. There were Republicans, who besides McConnell, also have voted against tariffs and voted in favor of the resolution on Wednesday, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
🚨BREAKING: Senate Deadlocks 49-49, Fails to Advance Measure to Block Trump’s Tariffs.
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) April 30, 2025
Three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rand Paul (Ky.) — voted in favor of the resolution alongside Senate Democrats. pic.twitter.com/uSV0Fuvigv
As The Hill reported when it comes to those absences, and the implications of such a resolution:
McConnell and Whitehouse had both missed the two votes earlier in the day. One Senate GOP member told The Hill that McConnell was sick and unable to vote.
“The Senator has been consistent in opposing tariffs and that a trade war is not in the best interest of American households and businesses. He believes that tariffs are a tax increase on everybody,” David Popp, a McConnell spokesperson, said in a statement
Whitehouse was reportedly traveling from South Korea.
The vote was held open longer than normal amid questions about next steps. The chamber immediately proceeded to a vote that would block off the resolution from coming to the floor once again.
...
Senate Republican leaders had dismissed the importance of Wednesday’s vote.
“I think the broad majorities of Republicans are giving the administration … some space to figure out if they can get some good deals. We’re awaiting the results of that,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters before the vote. “I wouldn’t attach too much weight to it.”
Not long after the initial vote took place, the Senate voted to block another vote on such a resolution, as The Hill mentioned would happen. The vote was once more 49-49, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tiebreaking vote to prevent the vote from coming up again.
Vance breaks tie to block Dems from ordering a re-vote on resolution to terminate Trump tariffs. Vote was 50-49.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) May 1, 2025
Vance returns to Senate to break tie and kill resolution from coming up
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 1, 2025
Hearing some D griping that Schumer agreed to let vote happen, given absences.
Ds knew Whitehouse was gone. That means it could have passed, 50-49 if the four Rs voted yes.
McConnell absence surprised Ds
In posting about Vance's vote, CNN's Manu Raju pointed to how this may be one more example of Democrats in disarray. Not only were they "surprised" by McConnell's absence, but Raju said he heard "griping" that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) "agreed to let vote happen, given absences." Schumer is in hot water as it is when it comes to his rapidly declining approval ratings.
Paul was a lead co-sponsor and has been particularly vocal in his opposition to tariffs, which he argues is a tax. Earlier on Wednesday, before the vote took place, Paul shared to his X account an article from the Washington Examiner focusing on how the senator has "revive[d] a trade fight" with his vote.
"The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, has the power of the purse. All new taxes (which is what a tariff is) are supposed to originate in the House of Representatives before going to the Senate for approval," Paul mentioned in his post.
The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, has the power of the purse. All new taxes (which is what a tariff is) are supposed to originate in the House of Representatives before going to the Senate for approval.https://t.co/TyrmT7kYcE
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 30, 2025
"Murkowski" has been trending over X on Wednesday night, including as users bring up her vote on tariffs. Others also bring up how she's raised concerns about Trump, and there's a desire to see her face a primary challenge, though she has benefited from rank choice voting. While Collins may represent a blue state that voted for the Democratic nominee for president every election since 1992, it's a different story for Murkowski. Trump won Alaska with 54.5 percent of the vote last November, higher than his 2016 or 2020 numbers. Alaska has voted for the Republican nominee for president every election since it became a state, except in 1964.
The Hill mentioned how the vote comes not long after Trump's second term reached its first 100 days. While some may have concerns about the tariffs, including in the president's own party, especially when it comes to Paul's view, there are countries coming to the negotiation table. When it comes to China, with the tariffs focused on this country in particular, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent focused on how the tariffs are "unsustainable" for the foreign nation during a Tuesday press briefing.
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