Senate Democrats press Trump administration on consumer refunds after tariff ruling

A group of Senate Democrats, joined by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), are pressing U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over tariffs refunds following a Supreme Court decision earlier this year that ruled certain Trump administration tariffs were illegal.

The letter , signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Sanders, asked whether Greer or other officials “had a plan to ensure that tariff refunds reach the American families who paid higher prices” as a result of the tariffs.

Their concern surrounds President Trump’s expanded use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in imposing tariffs on nearly every country. It was struck down in February with Chief Justice John Roberts writing that the “IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”

“We write to seek information about what steps, if any, the Administration will take to make consumers whole for the illegal IEEPA tariffs—and, if President Trump’s replacement tariffs are also struck down, for those tariffs as well,” the lawmakers wrote.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) set up a process earlier this year for requesting refunds, but it is only available for “corporate refunds.”

CBP said at the time that over 330,000 importers paid tariffs that totaled roughly $166 billion.

Companies that have received tariff refunds include $600 million to Amazon, $2.9 billion to Walmart, $500 million to General Motors, and more, according to each company’s earnings calls.

“CBP went to court to fight the order forcing them to issue refunds, and after losing that fight, they have now delayed the final phase of refund payments indefinitely,” the group added.

The lawmakers asked if the administration had calculated the cost Americans paid from the IEEPA tariffs and what specific action it had taken to ensure the money given to corporations would be passed to consumers.

They also asked how much revenue the administration had received from new Section 122, 339 and 301 tariffs enacted earlier this year. The group added they wanted the administration to include legal analysis officials had made before its announcement and contingency plans if these tariffs were struck down.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office did not respond immediately to The Hill’s request for comment.