Senate committee advances resolution urging removal of tariffs on Canada

The Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee moved draft 5.1 of Senate Resolution 11, a nonbinding resolution urging President Donald J. Trump to remove tariffs imposed on Canada since Jan. 20, 2025, and asking Congress to reassert its role in crafting international trade policy.

Chris Seigel of the Office of Legislative Council read aloud the draft’s operative language, including the clause “urging that President Trump remove all tariffs he’s imposed on Canada since 01/20/2025, including those outside the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).” Michael Chernick, legislative counsel, described the resolution as honoring “historic integrated and productive relations” between the United States, Vermont, Canada and the province of Quebec.

The committee’s discussion focused largely on wording in the Whereas clauses and on the trade statistics cited in the draft. Committee members noted language choices — for example how to describe cross‑border travel and shared cultural ties — and suggested edits to make the draft more factual and formal. Senators also questioned a set of trade figures read from a consulate source, and staff agreed to verify the numbers before the bill goes to the floor.

The draft cites 2023 figures from the Canadian consulate in Boston that, as read into the record, show Vermont exporting about $680,000,000 in goods and $165,000,000 in services to Canada and importing about $2,600,000,000 in goods from Canada; the draft also states that Canadian investment supported more than 17,000 Vermont jobs. Committee members said they would confirm those numbers with Tim (staff) and correct the draft if needed.

Members raised examples of tariffs and market restrictions discussed during the meeting: the draft confines its request to tariffs imposed since Jan. 20, 2025. Participants referred to recent measures on energy and to market limits on agricultural products such as dairy and poultry; one speaker described some Canadian protections on dairy and similar products as effectively prohibiting certain U.S. imports and said those measures can amount to very high effective duties. The resolution does not itself impose policy; it directs only that a copy be sent to federal and state officials.

The committee voted to move the draft to the next stage. A motion to move draft 5.1 of S.R. 11 was recorded and a voice affirmation followed; senators verbally indicated assent and a member volunteered to report the resolution. Staff were directed to confirm and, if necessary, correct the trade figures before the final draft is placed on the Senate calendar.

Next steps: staff will verify the cited trade and import figures and send an updated draft for the committee’s review, with the expectation the committee will sign off on the corrected version and report it to the floor.