By Kaitlyn Schallhorn and Hanna Kang

It’s time for Congress to modify or revoke outright how much authority a president has over tariffs, said Rep. Linda Sánchez, a member of a powerful House committee that shapes fiscal legislation, including taxes and tariffs.

Sánchez, D-Whittier, is the ranking member on the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee and is critical of President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs. Trump has proposed new tariffs on imports from Canada, China and Mexico as well as reciprocal tariffs that match tax rates that other countries charge on imports.

“Strategic, targeted tariffs can level the playing field for American businesses and workers who are suffering from unfair trade practices in a specific industry,” Sánchez said, adding, “Tariffs shouldn’t be used as a bargaining chip to try to achieve non-trade-related goals (e.g. immigration) or score political points, especially against our neighbors and allies.”

This year, as legislative work in Washington, D.C., gets underway, we’re reintroducing our readers to the six House members who represent at least a portion of Orange County, veterans and newcomers alike. We asked each lawmaker five questions, tailored to their policy expertise, committee assignments or votes.

Sánchez, 56, represents California’s 38th Congressional District, which includes communities in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including La Habra. A former labor lawyer, Sánchez was born in Orange County and has been a member of Congress since 2003. She was the first woman International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers member elected to Congress.

Read on to find out more about what Sánchez proposes Congress should do when it comes to trade policy, continued protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients and more.

Q: You are the ranking member on the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee. Can you tell us what the work that subcommittee does? How does it serve as a check on the Trump administration, particularly as you’ve described President Trump’s trade plan as “chaotic.”

A: The Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee is responsible for overseeing and setting U.S. trade policy. It plays a key role in trade deals, examining the impact of trade on American businesses and workers and ensuring that U.S. trade policies align with our national interests.

The Constitution gives Congress the authority to oversee commerce. So even in the minority, Democrats can serve as a check against the president’s disastrous and chaotic trade policies.

In my new role, I hope to be a bridge to unite Democrats who lean more free trade with those who are more progressive. I’ve long championed trade policies that balance the rights of domestic and foreign workers to have dignity and safety in their workplace with ensuring American businesses can compete globally.

I believe that when done right, trade can spur innovation, boost American industries and advance democratic values abroad.

Q: Economists say both President Trump and former President Joe Biden have escalated trade war policies with the use of tariffs. In your view, should tariffs be used as a president’s bargaining chip and should there be more congressional oversight?

A: President Trump’s tariffs have brought us nothing but chaos. He threatens them, then gets scared and retreats, leaving fragments in place and delaying others on a whim. There is clearly no well-thought-out plan.

Strategic, targeted tariffs can level the playing field for American businesses and workers who are suffering from unfair trade practices in a specific industry. Tariffs shouldn’t be used as a bargaining chip to try to achieve non-trade-related goals (e.g. immigration) or score political points, especially against our neighbors and allies.

While Congress has granted the presidency some tariff authority, it’s time we consider revoking or adjusting that authority. President Trump’s constant trade tantrums demonstrate why he can’t be trusted with unchecked power in our trade policy.

Q: During President Trump’s first term, he proposed a deal — at the time to end the government shutdown — that included his demand for border wall funding, along with temporary protection for DACA recipients as a concession to Democrats. With DACA still in legal limbo, would you be open to considering a similar situation, where a funding request is tied to a pathway to citizenship or other protections for DACA recipients?

A: For decades, we have thrown more and more money toward enforcement, but there has been no relief for immigrant communities. Any plan must address this disparity to earn my support.

I’m open to any proposal that addresses immigration in a fair and humane way and, most importantly, keeps families united. It must include a plan for ‘Dreamers,’ farm workers and legal protections for other undocumented immigrants who are already here and contributing to their communities.

Q: You’ve said President Trump’s decision to grant Elon Musk, an unelected “special government employee,” significant access to federal agencies is “a direct attack on our democracy.” How can Congress keep Musk and his team’s work in check, particularly if any of his work ultimately breaks the law?

A: It is a direct attack on our democracy. We’re witnessing a constitutional crisis. President Trump has surrendered complete control to Shadow President Musk, giving him unchecked power over federal spending.

Let’s be clear: What Musk and DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) are doing right now is illegal, and Democrats are fighting it with every tool at our disposal to hold them accountable. We’ve been speaking out, supporting lawsuits, demanding hearings and investigations and introducing new bills — including the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, which I’ve cosponsored. Our bill would block Elon Musk and DOGE’s access to your private data.

But Democrats are also facing a math problem in Congress. We’re in the minority in both the Senate and the House. We need just a few Republicans to have the courage to stand up to Elon Musk and reclaim Congress’ constitutional authorities. It’s been disheartening to see not a single Republican willing to defend the rule of law.

Q: Democratic leaders have said any upcoming spending plan must block President Trump’s promised federal funding freeze. Why is this considered a “red line” for Democrats and do you see it being successful?

A: Republicans are recklessly pushing us toward a government shutdown with their chaos and dysfunction. They control the White House, Senate and House and will decide whether we continue funding the government beyond the March deadline.

So far, they have shown no interest in working with Democrats. If Republicans are going to need our votes to bail them out once again and keep the government open, then we want to know that they follow the law and restore the funding that Congress already passed.

Q: Bonus question: Anything else you’d like your constituents to know about your plans for the year?

A: With President Trump’s previous tax cuts for billionaires set to expire, Congress will begin negotiating a major tax bill this year. As a senior member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, I will play a significant role in that debate. My focus will be ensuring this isn’t just another giveaway to billionaires like Elon Musk and President Trump. Instead, I will advocate for tax policies that support middle- and working-class families, like strengthening the Child Tax Credit and providing other relief for average Americans.