The Philadelphia Bar Association released the following statement in support of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump. In a 6–3 decision, the Court held that the President lacked authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose significant tariffs on imports from countries including Canada, Mexico, and China. The Court concluded that Congress did not authorize such tariffs and that the text of the IEEPA does not confer the “power to tax.”
“We applaud the Supreme Court’s decision in this case, which underscores the importance of our system of checks and balances in ensuring that no one branch of government unilaterally determines law and policy in the United States,” said Chancellor Ezra Wohlgelernter. “The Court’s ruling is a strong reminder of the need to adhere to and respect the fundamental principles of our democracy. Dictatorial impulses have no place in a constitutional republic. Today’s decision affirms that ours remains a government of laws – and that no President is above them.”
