Utah Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis sided with most of their Senate Republican colleagues against a bipartisan proposal that would have reversed the tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed on nearly every country. The measure ended in a 49-49 tie on Wednesday, with three Republican senators — Rand Paul, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — crossing party lines to vote with Democrats.
Later Wednesday evening, both Lee and Curtis voted to table a Democratic-led motion that would allow them to bring the tariff resolution up for another vote next week, which passed after Vice President JD Vance cast the tie breaking vote.
Neither Lee nor Curtis responded to a request for comment.
The tariffs could significantly impact Utah's economy, according to a Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute report. In 2023, Utah imported $18.6 billion in goods from 151 countries, with $10.9 billion—nearly 60% of all imports—coming from just four nations: the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and China.
Utah exported $17.4 billion to 200 countries in 2023, with $11.4 billion directed to those same four trading partners.
Trump’s proposed tariffs are wildly unpopular according to public opinion polling. Nearly two thirds of Americans disapprove of the tariffs according to a recent ABC News survey. A Gallup poll shows nearly 90% of Americans say they expect prices to rise due to tariffs.
