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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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A Democratic lawmaker's decision to skip a key vote on Donald Trump's new tariffs has sparked backlash from other Democrats.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse missed the vote to rebuke Trump's global tariffs on Wednesday, which ended in a 49-49 tie, before Vice President JD Vance traveled to Capitol Hill to cast a tiebreaking vote against the resolution.
Even if it did pass the Senate, the House wasn't expected to take up the resolution after Republicans passed a rule that specifically blocks this type of resolution until the end of September. Trump would also likely have vetoed the resolution if it reached his desk.
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Newsweek has contacted Whitehouse's office for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump introduced "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2. He used a 1970s law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact the levies.
Some lawmakers have argued that the act cannot be used by the president to enact tariffs. As a result, a dozen states have joined to sue the administration, arguing that the president lacked the authority to impose them, and that such tariffs must be approved by Congress.
The issue, and Trump's agenda more broadly, has also exposed divides within the Republican Party on economic policy and within the Democrats on how to respond to the president's policies.
What To Know
The resolution was tied after three Republicans—Senators Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski—joined Democrats in supporting the rebuke of Trump's tariffs. Amid the deadlock, the vice president traveled to Capitol Hill late Wednesday to cast a tiebreaking vote in the Senate, ultimately killing the bipartisan measure. It was only the second time the vice president has used his tiebreaking authority.
Had the resolution passed, it would have effectively blocked Trump's tariffs by revoking the emergency order the president is using to implement them.
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Two senators who had been expected to vote for the resolution—Republican Mitch McConnell and Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse—were absent. Whitehouse missed the vote due to a planned trip to South Korea for an environmental conference.
"Senator Whitehouse is on his way back from representing the United States at the Our Ocean summit, where he was the sole American official," Meaghan McCabe, a spokesperson for Whitehouse, told 12 News late Wednesday afternoon.
"The senator expressed America's continued support for the Blue Economy, climate solutions, fisheries, and maritime security, even as the Trump administration cedes leadership on the oceans to the rest of the world," she said.
McConnell, meanwhile, said he was under the weather.
A spokesperson for McConnell stated that the senator would have voted for the resolution had he been present. "The Senator has been consistent in opposing tariffs and that a trade war is not in the best interest of American households and businesses. He believes that tariffs are a tax increase on everybody," the spokesman said.
Nonetheless, Whitehouse's absence in particular drew backlash. San Francisco Democratic congressional candidate Saikat Chakrabarti called it a sign of being "completely unserious" about the job, while podcast host Josh Barro, a registered Democrat, wrote: "I hope Sheldon Whitehouse enjoyed the conference in f*****g Korea that he's been attending while the Senate is in session and voting."
Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News reported Wednesday night that there was "some consternation" among rank-and-file Democratic senators at party leadership, which had scheduled the vote for Wednesday evening despite apparently knowing Whitehouse would be absent.
Whitehouse, a vocal critic of Trump's tariffs, reiterated his stance on Wednesday, writing on X: "Trump Economic Train Wreck, Episode One — Stupid Tariffs Supply chains disrupted. Costs increase. Stock market loses $5 trillion. Consumer confidence crashes 30%. Inflation expectations hit 40-year high. Dow has worst April start since Great Depression."
Earlier in April, Whitehouse voted in favor of a resolution to end Trump's tariffs on Canada, which passed the Senate 51-48 on April 2. However, House Republicans used a procedural tactic to block the resolution from being considered in their chamber.
What People Are Saying
San Francisco congressional candidate Saikat Chakrabarti said on X: "Sheldon Whitehouse missed this vote because he was attending a conference in South Korea. This is what it looks like to be completely unserious about your job."
Podcast presenter Josh Barro wrote on X: "I hope Sheldon Whitehouse enjoyed the conference in f*****g Korea that he's been attending while the Senate is in session and voting."
What Happens Next
Senate Majority Leader John Thune moved to ensure that tariff opponents were unable to bring their resolution back up at a later date.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer hit at Republicans for preventing a future vote, saying that "Thune and the Republicans are working to keep Trump's tariffs in place."
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