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WASHINGTON - Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Global Trade Accountability Act Thursday, a bill that would subject unilateral actions by the president to increase trade barriers to congressional approval. “Congress has ceded far too much law making power to the Executive branch including the power to unilaterally raise tariffs,” Lee said. “Sudden hikes in trade barriers could wreak havoc on many small and midsize manufacturers in my home state of Utah that rely on imports and globally connected supply chains. Congress must be involved in any decision that would increase barriers to trade.” The Global Trade Accountability Act would require both chambers of Congress to affirmatively approve of any “unilateral trade actions” by the president before they could take effect. The bill would only cover unilateral trade actions by the President to increase trade barriers. “Unilateral trade actions” in this legislation are defined as any increases in tariffs or duties, tightening of tariff-rate quotas or quantitative restrictions on imports, and other restrictions or prohibitions on imports.

Presidential power is out of control, and our legislature must reassert itself Imagine it’s March 2022. The Republican-controlled Senate has just rejected Speaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal, ending any chance of legislative action on climate change before the midterm elections. Heavy rains have caused flooding along the Ohio and Wabash Rivers in Indiana. The governor has called a state of emergency. And with her legislative agenda in tatters and the economy flat, President Kamala Harris sees her chance: She declares a national emergency over climate change, invoking broad legislative powers pursuant to the National Emergencies Act.

"Germany is not paying their fair share," President Trump said at a press conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last week. "I have a great feeling for Germany, but they're not paying what they should be paying. We're paying for a big proportion of NATO, which is basically protecting Europe." President Trump is right. Germany is not paying their fair share. In 2014 Germany and the rest of our NATO allies promised to raise their defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product by 2024. It is now 2019 and Germany still only spends 1.23 percent of its GDP on defense. By comparison, the United States spends 3.4 percent of GDP on defense. And Germany is not alone. Not including the United States, NATO members spent only 1.48 percent of their GDP on defense in 2018 and just seven seven of NATO’s 29 member countries currently spend the recommended target of 2 percent of GDP. With other NATO members defense budgets coming up short, the United States makes up 69 percent of all NATO defense spending despite U.S. GDP comprising less than half of NATO’s overall economy. Congress can play a role in helping President Trump pressure our NATO allies to pay their fair share. That is why I introduced the Allied Burden Sharing Act last week, a bill that requires the Department of Defense to submit an extensive report that includes the common defense contributions of NATO countries and other defense partners including Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, and the Philippines. NATO and other mutual defense agreements have a purpose but the United States cannot and should not bear the greatest brunt of the financial burden in global alliances and defense partnerships. The information included in this report would be instrumental in informing lawmakers on the return on investment we receive in exchange for our contributions and commitments. For security alliances and partnerships to be maximally effective, all parties must pull their weight.

Congress passes laws, the executive branch enforces laws, and the courts interpret the law. That is how we were all taught the United States government was supposed to work in civics class. Unfortunately, the progressive movement has so warped Washington’s understanding of the Constitution that some federal bureaucrats think they have the authority to make law, enforce law, and interpret it.