Democrats in the U.S. Senate have drafted legislation that would require refunds for Trump administration tariffs that were recently struck down by the Supreme Court. According to CNBC, the legislation would set a 180-day deadline for the administration to process all tariff refunds and would require Customs and Border Protection to pay interest. On February 20, the Supreme Court invalidated all levies issued by the White House under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The ruling, however, did not address the process around refunds, prompting a push from Congressional Democrats to codify a mechanism for businesses moving forward. “Trump’s illegal tax scheme has already done lasting damage to American families, small businesses and manufacturers who have been hammered by wave after wave of new Trump tariffs,” said Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. “A crucial first step is helping people who need it most, by putting money back in the pockets of small businesses and manufacturers as soon as possible.”
Speaking to CNN’s Dana Bash on February 22, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that tariff refunds will be up to the lower courts to decide, and that it could potentially be weeks or months before there is any clarity on the matter. In the meantime, the administration says it plans to move forward with a global 15 percent tariff — up from the 10 percent announced by President Donald Trump on February 20 — as well as several Section 232 investigations that would allow for further levies.
From a supply chain perspective, the bill is critical for major importers including Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Best Buy, Apple, Nike and Hasbro, which are seeking to recover tariff costs from the 2018–2025 period. The National Retail Federation (NRF), U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) are backing the legislation. Trade negotiations with the European Union, China, Japan and India, the future tariff architecture, retaliatory tariffs and ongoing WTO disputes will sit at the top of the global supply chain risk map throughout 2026.
