Democrats forge ahead with effort to kill Trump tariffs

Driving the news: Reps. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) — the top Democrats on the Foreign Affairs, Ways & Means and Transportation & Infrastructure committees — introduced the measure on Tuesday.

• The resolution would end the emergency declaration upon which Trump's sweeping tariffs are based, effectively killing the levies.
• Democrats are introducing it as a "privileged" resolution, which means that they will try to force the House to vote on it.

Between the lines: Some Republicans on Capitol Hill have been open about their discomfort with Trump's tariffs and concerns about the stock market turmoil that has accompanied them.

• Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) is planning to introduce a measure that would strip presidents of the power to unilaterally institute tariffs by giving Congress the ability to vote to block them.
• But Democrats have their own divisions: Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) told Axios he would vote against his party's privileged motion.

Zoom in: At House Democrats' closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning, Neal advised colleagues on how to message against the tariffs, according to multiple lawmakers who were present.

• Neal framed the tariffs as "the biggest tax hike on Americans since the 1960s," one of the members said.

What to watch: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has tools in his arsenal to head off an up-or-down House vote on the resolution, as was demonstrated last month.

• House Republicans quietly tucked language into a procedural motion last month that blocked a House vote on ending Trump's tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico.
• That could be more difficult now, however, with Democrats more vigilant and the issue of tariffs much more potent.