A resolution to reject President Donald Trump’s global tariffs failed in a tied vote in the Senate on Wednesday, after two senators in support of it, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., did not attend the vote.
The Senate voted on the resolution Wednesday evening. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The Senate blocked the resolution on a 49-49 vote.
Whitehouse, who is returning from an ocean conservation conference in South Korea, and McConnell, who is sick, likely would have voted for the resolution, allowing it to pass.
A spokesperson for McConnell reiterated the senator’s stance against tariffs to Punchbowl News, saying McConnell “believes that tariffs are a tax increase on everybody.”
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska and Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted with Democrats in support of the resolution.
Collins criticized the resolution as being too broad but ultimately supported it because it promoted the idea “we really need to be far more discriminatory in imposing these tariffs and not treat allies like Canada the way we treat adversaries like China,” according to the Associated Press.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.