Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate on Tuesday night passed legislation terminating the national emergency declaration to impose duties on Brazilian imports, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump's use of the punitive economic measures to penalize the South American country for prosecuting his ally, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The Senate voted 52-48 in favor of S.J. Res. 18, with five Republicans -- Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul, also of Kentucky -- joining their Democratic colleagues in ending the emergency and, consequently, the tariffs.
The bipartisan bill was introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Paul.
Speaking from the floor prior to the vote Tuesday, Paul criticized the tariffs as a tax being levied against the people of the United States -- taxes, which fall under the purview of the House of Representatives, not that of the executive branch.
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