The "Congressional Trade Powers Reform Act of 2026" seeks to significantly enhance Congress's role in trade policy by requiring legislative approval for most major trade actions. It establishes a new process where the President must submit proposals for actions under existing trade laws, such as those concerning national security threats (Section 232), unfair trade practices (Section 301), or import competition (Sections 201, 203). These proposed actions would then require a recommendation from a newly created Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade, followed by the enactment of a joint resolution of approval by Congress within a 30-day period. Approved actions would generally be temporary, lasting 180 days, unless extended through the same Congressional approval process. A central component of this reform is the establishment of the Joint Committee on Tariffs and Trade , comprising 10 members equally drawn from the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees. This Joint Committee would be responsible for reviewing presidential trade proposals and making recommendations to Congress. Furthermore, it would provide crucial oversight of trade negotiations and the implementation, compliance, and enforcement of existing trade agreements. To support these functions, the Joint Committee would appoint a Chief Congressional Trade Representative for Negotiations and a Chief Congressional Trade Representative for Monitoring and Enforcement, ensuring direct congressional representation and oversight in these critical areas. The bill specifically modifies several existing presidential trade authorities to subject them to this new Congressional approval mechanism. It repeals the President's authority to take actions related to balance-of-payments issues and to impose duties in response to discrimination by foreign countries. For actions concerning unfair trade practices (Section 301), national security threats (Section 232), and import competition (Sections 201, 202, 203), the President would no longer have unilateral authority to "take action" but would instead "propose action" that must be approved by Congress. This shift ensures that significant trade measures, previously executive decisions, now require explicit legislative consent. Beyond specific trade actions, the legislation mandates that any trade agreement that binds the United States must first be approved by an Act of Congress to have legal force or effect. This provision aims to reclaim congressional authority over international trade agreements. Additionally, the bill proposes to move the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) outside the Executive Office of the President, establishing it as an independent agency under the general direction of the President. It also creates an Inspector General position within the USTR to enhance accountability and oversight.