Tips on stepping back from screens and starting a new hobby

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By JAMIE DUCHARME

During the winter of 2024, Rachel Martin came to a startling realization: She spent most of her free time staring at screens. “I couldn’t really think of hobbies or things that I did that took a break from the digital world,” she said.

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With pastimes like watching television, playing video games and creating digital art, Martin, 33, sometimes spent more than 12 hours per day looking at screens. She longed for an analog alternative.

After some trial and error, she found one: journaling with fountain pens and specialty inks. “It’s quite a cool tactile experience,” she said, and one that unexpectedly turned social when she started attending meetups for fountain pen enthusiasts in her city of Sydney, Australia.

“It’s something that I definitely didn’t expect to love,” she said, “but that actually really helped me with going (mostly) screen-free.”

Martin had extra motivation for avoiding devices — she has chronic migraines, and screens are a trigger for her — but many people share her goal.

Adopting a new hobby can be an effective way to get a break from screens. (Martin is even looking into selling her TV.) And as an added bonus, enjoyable pastimes can reduce stress and improve mental and physical health, research suggests.

Finding a screen-free hobby that sticks, though, can be easier said than done. Here’s where to start:

A mix of enjoyable activities is fine

Some people feel pressured to find the “ideal” hobby that will perfectly optimize their free time — but there’s no such thing, said Sarah Pressman, a professor of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine who has studied leisure time.

“Having a mix of small enjoyable activities — a little bit of pickleball, cooking something new, chatting with a friend over coffee, spending some time in your garden — can have a cumulative effect on your mood and health,” she said. “So rather than putting pressure on yourself to find the perfect pastime, just ask, ‘What brings me a little joy today?’”

Similarly, hobbies don’t have to fill hours upon hours of time to be beneficial, said Matthew Zawadzki, an associate professor of psychological sciences at the University of California, Merced who has studied hobbies.

Start small by thinking about activities that would be fulfilling for 20, 10 or even five minutes at a time.

“We really need to embrace small engagements with our leisure,” he said, particularly given how many other demands there are on our time.

A pastime may not reset your life, “but instead it’s going to reset the next hour,” Zawadzki said.

Try lots of things

Cast a wide net.

“Test out a few activities for 30 minutes each and just notice how they make you feel,” Pressman said. “Think of it like dating. You may have to go on a few first dates before you find your match.”

Think about how activities you loved as a child could be adapted for adulthood, or about things that you naturally lose track of time while doing, she suggested.

It can also be helpful to consider what you’re missing, or want more of, in your daily routine, Zawadzki said. If you feel too sedentary, try a new form of fitness. If you need to get out of your head, pick up an engrossing book. If you feel starved for social connection, join a club or volunteer. If you haven’t used your creative muscles in a while, pick up a paintbrush.

“It’s about being more intentional about how you use your time,” Zawadzki said.

Ask for recommendations

“It’s hard to think past what we currently do,” Zawadzki said. So, outsource your search.

Just as you’d ask a friend for a book or movie recommendation, ask your loved ones which activities they’d recommend for someone with your interests and tastes. Make sure they’re aware of any financial, time or space constraints, too.

Make your hobbies as accessible as screen time…

If you’re used to spending your evening in front of the TV, it can be hard to put those hours to new use —even once you’ve found a rewarding hobby.

“Screens are so easy,” said Gabriela Tonietto, an associate professor of marketing at Rutgers Business School who has studied leisure time.

So, keep your sketchpad or crossword puzzle in plain sight rather than stored away, Pressman suggested, and flow directly from work or dinner into hobby time before you get distracted by screens.

Setting specific goals (not just, “I want to reduce screen time,” but something like, “I will read for an hour before bed”), carving out designated time for your activity, and enlisting a hobby buddy for accountability can all help you stick to your pastime, Tonietto said.

…but don’t beat yourself up if the screens sometimes win

Screen time isn’t inherently bad, Zawadzki said. Watching a movie with your family can be a bonding activity — especially if you talk about it afterward — and catching up with a juicy TV show on the treadmill may motivate you to exercise.

“Any kind of activity has the potential to be positive,” he said. “But you have to optimize it a little bit to serve your goals,” and set a cap on how much time you spend vegging out.

So don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t totally quit your screen-based hobbies. They may have some benefits too — and recognizing them is half the battle. Tonietto’s research suggests that viewing leisure time as wasteful can make it less enjoyable and beneficial.

“Step one is actually experiencing that positivity when you engage in these activities,” Tonietto said. “The consequences of that are feeling more relaxed, feeling less stressed, feeling happier.”

Israel’s military begins its ground offensive in Gaza City and thousands of residents flee

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By MELANIE LIDMAN, JON GAMBRELL and SAMY MAGDY, Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel launched its offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, threatening to overwhelm a city already in ruins from nearly two years of raids and bombardment. Vehicles strapped with mattresses and other belongings clogged a coastal road as thousands of Palestinians fled, but hundreds of thousands more remain.

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The operation into the largest Palestinian city further escalates a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushes any ceasefire farther out of reach. The military wouldn’t offer a timeline for the offensive, which it says aims to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure,” but Israeli media suggested it could take months.

It began the same day that independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected the allegation, calling the report “distorted and false.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that “Gaza is burning” as the operation began. Heavy bombardment battered the city overnight and into the morning.

One woman, Saud al-Sakani, said her daughter, son-in-law and their children were killed in a strike that flattened their home with about 40 people inside. “An entire family!” she cried, weeping over their bodies at Shifa Hospital’s morgue. “Many are still under the rubble.”

On a brief visit to the region, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that there was a “very short window of time in which a deal can happen” to end the war.

Israel also bombed Yemen’s port city of Hodeida in response to drone and missile fire from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Palestinians flee Gaza City

Israeli forces have carried out multiple large-scale raids into Gaza City over the course of the war, causing mass displacement and heavy destruction, only to see fighters regroup later. This time, Israel has vowed to take control of the entire city, which experts say is experiencing famine.

An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines, said that the “main phase” of the Gaza City operation had begun. Airstrikes have pounded Gaza City for weeks, knocking down several high-rises.

The official said the Israeli military believes there are approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Hamas fighters left in Gaza City, as well as tunnels used by the group. Hamas’ military capabilities have been vastly diminished over nearly two years of war, and nowadays it mainly carries out guerrilla-style attacks, with small groups of fighters planting explosives or attacking military outposts before melting away.

Ismail Zaydah, 39, said he fled from his home in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood to an area near the coastal road. He said trucks carrying people south to an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone charge around $1,000, even as many families in Gaza City are starving.

“We fled with nothing but a few pieces of clothing. People are pitching their tents in western Gaza City, and they are sleeping among human waste because there is no place for them to go,” he said.

An estimated 1 million Palestinians were living in the Gaza City region before warnings to evacuate began ahead of the offensive, and the Israeli military estimates 350,000 people have left the city.

A U.N. estimate on Monday, however, said that over 220,000 Palestinians have fled northern Gaza over the past month.

By the end of the current operation, an Israeli military graphic suggested its troops hope to control all of the Gaza Strip except for a large swath along the coast.

At least 69 Palestinians killed in Gaza City

Palestinian residents reported heavy strikes across Gaza City on Tuesday morning, with hospitals in the city saying there were at least 69 deaths.

“A very tough night in Gaza,” Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital, told The Associated Press. “The bombing did not stop for a single moment.”

Several women gathered at the hospital’s morgue, where AP footage showed many dead in body bags.

Shifa received the bodies of 49 people, including 22 children, according to Dr. Rami Mhanna, a hospital official, who said dozens of wounded had also come into the facility. Al-Ahli Hospital received 17 bodies, and Al-Quds three.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the deadly strikes but in the past has accused Hamas of building military infrastructure inside civilian areas.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led fighters stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Forty-eight hostages, fewer than half believed to be alive, remain in Gaza.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 64,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many were civilians or combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, says women and children make up around half the dead.

Families of hostages beg Netanyahu to halt the operation

Overnight, families of the hostages still being held in Gaza gathered outside of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, imploring him to stop the offensive.

“Netanyahu gave the order to bomb my child,” said Anat Angrast, whose son is held in Gaza. “He knows that Matan is in immediate danger due to the Gaza operation, yet he decided to bomb him to death. He is the only one who will decide whether Matan lives or dies.”

Israel believes around 20 of the hostages are alive. Hamas has said it will only free remaining captives in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

On a visit to Israel, Rubio suggested that there might still be time for a negotiated end the war.

“At some point, this has to end. At some point, Hamas has to be defanged, and we hope it can happen through a negotiation,” he said. “But I think time, unfortunately, is running out.”

He continued on to Qatar, where he met with its ruling emir. Qatar is incensed over an Israeli strike last week that killed five Hamas members and a local security official.

Rubio thanked Qatar, which has been a key negotiator in efforts to reach a ceasefire, for playing that role, according to a statement from his office, which did not directly acknowledge the Israeli strike. He also highlighted the countries’ close ties.

Arab and Muslim nations denounced the strike at a summit Monday but stopped short of any major action targeting Israel.

Egypt escalates its rhetoric against Israel

Egypt, which has had a peace deal with Israel for decades and has also served as a mediator in the war, appears to be losing its patience.

Egypt’s president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, described Israel as “an enemy” in a fiery speech at the Qatar summit Monday. It was the first time an Egyptian leader used the term since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1979, said Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service.

Egypt was the first Arab country to establish ties with Israel and their peace treaty is seen as a cornerstone for stability in the volatile region.

El-Sissi’s “enemy” comment played prominently across Egyptian newspapers’ front pages on Tuesday and while Cairo has taken no steps to change its status with Israel, the Egyptian government likely is trying to signal just how seriously it takes Israel’s recent actions.

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Munich, Germany, and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Recipes: Make these Rosh Hashanah dishes to usher in a sweet new year

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Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins on the evening of Monday, Sept. 22, and is celebrated for two days.

For the occasion, people wish each other a happy, healthy, sweet New Year. To highlight this wish, cooks in many households accent their holiday menus with sweet ingredients.

Apple slices dipped in honey are the traditional beginning to the Rosh Hashanah dinner. On the second day of the holiday, a popular custom is to serve seasonal or exotic fruits; this year we plan to embellish ours with a sprinkling of a sweet Middle Eastern mixture made of sesame seeds toasted with nuts.

In our menus we like to include touches of sweetness in every dish, such as our fruit cobbler dessert made with fresh and dried fruit. Our sweet flavorings are sometimes subtle, like the raisins in our picadillo and the pomegranate sauce that’s spooned into bowls of our noodle soup.

As an additional treat we are preparing sugar-free blueberry jam, which makes a deliciously sweet topping for yogurt, as well as a nutritious spread for our Rosh Hashanah challah.

Fruit salad is shown served with sweet dukkah, a mixture of toasted sesame seeds with nuts and sweet spices. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Fruit Salad with Sweet Dukkah

We’re serving our Rosh Hashanah fruit platter this year with a special topping — sweet dukkah.

Sweet dukkah, a mixture of toasted sesame seeds with nuts and sweet spices is a great sprinkling for fruit. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Dukkah is best known as a savory sprinkle made with sesame seeds and spices. Rachel Simons, author of “Sesame: Global Recipes + Stories of an Ancient Seed,” makes sweet dukkah as well. We love it sprinkled over mixtures of fresh fruit, including berries, tangerine segments, melon cubes, mango pieces and grapes.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups dukkah, 8 to 10 servings fruit

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon flaky salt

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 tablespoons edible dried rose petals (optional)

Platter of 8 to 10 cups cut fruit (for serving)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread sesame seeds, pistachios and almonds on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon, cardamom and salt; toss to combine.

2. Bake for 6 minutes. Give baking sheet a vigorous shake to move nuts and seeds. Add coconut and shake baking sheet again. Return mixture to oven. Bake until coconut turns golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes more. Check regularly to make sure dukkah isn’t burning.

3. Cool completely in pan; add rose petals. Store in an airtight container up to 2 months. Serve with cut fruit.

Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam” is made from a recipe in the cookbook “Cold Canning: The Easy Way to Preserve the Seasons” by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam

We couldn’t believe this jam tastes so good without sugar. It’s from a recipe in “Cold Canning: The Easy Way to Preserve the Seasons” by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough.

Blueberries are high in pectin; this jam cooks long enough to set without additional pectin and gains a rich, almost caramelized flavor. It’s sweetened with a cup-for-cup white sugar substitute. I used monk fruit and erythritol sweetener.

Yield: About 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 pound 6 ounces fresh blueberries (about 4 cups)

3/4 to 1 cup (1-to-1) (by volume) granulated white sugar substitute

1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Set it over medium-high heat. Stir constantly to dissolve sugar substitute. Bring mixture to a boil that you can’t stir down, stirring often.

2. Use back of a wooden spoon to mash about half of blueberries into simmering liquid. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Turn off heat and remove pan from burner. Let stand for 1 or 2 minutes; skim off any foamy impurities with a tablespoon.

4. Transfer to two clean 1/2-pint jars or other containers, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace in each. Cover or seal. Cool at room temperature for no more than 1 hour, then refrigerate or freeze. In the fridge, the jam may take 24 hours to set. It keeps refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen up to 6 months.

Vegan fruit cobbler is made with almond flour and with fresh and dried mango and blueberries. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Mango and Blueberry Cobbler

This light, delicately sweet pareve dessert is inspired by the summer fruit cobbler in Miami Vegan by Ellen Kanner.

To sweeten it, I replaced part of the sugar with dried blueberries and diced dried mango. Serve it with plant-based vanilla yogurt if you like.

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter

5 tablespoons olive oil blend (olive oil, sunflower oil and avocado oil) or vegan butter

1/3 cup almond flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup chopped dried mango

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1 cup blueberries

1 cup sliced mango

1 cup diced nectarine

Mango and nectarine cubes, blueberries and pecans (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, or convection or air fryer toaster oven to 325. Melt coconut oil and olive oil blend in 6-cup casserole in preheating oven.

2. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder and sugar. Add oat milk and stir until smooth. Stir in dried fruit.

3. Carefully pour about half of melted oil mixture into batter, leaving rest in baking dish. Stir batter together to incorporate; pour it into baking dish.

4. Spoon the fresh fruit on top, keeping it mostly toward the center. As the cobbler bakes, the batter rises to encase the fruit.

5. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until a tester inserted in batter comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve garnished with fruit and pecans.

Noodle soup with roasted mushrooms is served with spicy pomegranate sauce. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Noodle Soup with Spicy Pomegranate Sauce

This soup, inspired by a recipe in “Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn, gains extra flavor from a generous amount of garlic, as well as ginger root, fish sauce and sesame oil. A hot pepper sauce flavored with tangy and sweet pomegranate molasses adds a lively finishing touch.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems reserved for stock

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 leek, trimmed, greens chopped, white part sliced

3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, plus ground black pepper for serving

6 oz Korean radish or daikon, sliced

1 celery rib, chopped coarse

7 garlic cloves peeled plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped peeled gingerroot

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 small russet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick

1/2 onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1/2 carrot, cut in 3-inch matchsticks

10 ounces noodles, cooked

2 ounces Korean summer squash or zucchini, cut in 3-inch matchsticks

2 green onions, chopped fine

Salt to taste

Spicy Sauce for Noodle Soup — See Note

DIRECTIONS

1. Quarter mushrooms; put them on a tray, sprinkle them with vegetable oil and roast at 400 degrees for 8 minutes per side. Toss mushrooms with sesame oil; cover and set aside.

2. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add shiitake mushroom stems, leek greens and peppercorns; simmer for 15 minutes to make stock. Remove vegetables and peppercorns with a slotted spoon.

3. Add to broth: radish, leek slices, celery, garlic cloves and gingerroot and bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes. Add fish sauce, potato, onion and carrot. Return to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4. Add cooked noodles, squash matchsticks, minced garlic and green onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top each serving with a spoonful of the sauce. Serve remaining sauce separately.

Note: Spicy Sauce for Noodle Soup:

Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce with 2 tablespoons Korean or other pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Add 1/2 seeded finely chopped red Fresno chile, 1/2 seeded finely chopped jalapeño pepper, and 1 finely chopped green onion.

Picadillo made with lentils, walnuts, tomatoes, olives and capers is shown served with cauliflower rice. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Lentil and Walnut Picadillo

Picadillo, a main course usually made with ground beef, tomatoes, olives and capers, could be described as a sloppy joe with a Spanish accent. Ellen Kanner, author of “Miami Vegan: Plant-Based Recipes from the Tropics to Your Table,” makes it with lentils and walnuts instead of beef. Serve it with cauliflower rice or brown rice. Raisins provide a touch of sweetness.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

3/4 pound tomatoes, chopped, or a 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 cups cooked brown lentils (from 1 1/2 cup dried lentils), cooled

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1/3 cup pitted green olives, chopped

1/3 cup raisins

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, add chopped onion, minced garlic and chopped red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and become slightly golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

2. Stir in tomato, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika. Add cooked lentils, walnuts, chopped olives, raisins and capers, taking care not to crush the lentils.

3. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Braised baby potatoes are served with a salty-sweet sauce, finished with sesame seeds, green onions and pepper flakes. (Photo by Yakir Levy)

Sesame Braised Baby Potatoes

These petite potatoes are boiled, then stir fried, tossed with a salty-sweet sauce and finished with sesame seeds, green onions and pepper flakes. Preparing them this way makes them creamy and tempting. The recipe is from “Umma” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup water

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon corn syrup

12 ounces baby potatoes, unpeeled

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 green onion, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper) or crushed pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk the water, soy sauce and corn syrup together in a small bowl.

2. Add potatoes and salt to a 14-inch flat bottomed wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Wipe pan dry.

3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add potatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until nearly tender, about 8 minutes. Add sauce, toss to coat and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes are fully tender and well seasoned, about 6 minutes.

4. Increase heat to medium-high and add sugar. Cook, tossing, until sauce becomes thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sesame seeds, green onion and red pepper, and serve.

Faye Levy is the author of “1,000 Jewish Recipes.”

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Democrats plan to force Senate vote on Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Brazil

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By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are planning to force two Senate votes on President Donald Trump’s tariffs in the coming weeks, keeping pressure on Senate Republicans as many of them have voiced frustration with the policies.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine says he will introduce two separate bipartisan resolutions this week that would terminate the national emergencies that Trump declared to justify the tariffs he has imposed on Canada and Brazil. In April, four Republicans voted with Democrats to block Trump’s tariffs on Canada, but the House never took it up.

Kaine said it’s common for Republican senators to express concerns about the tariffs, but he wants to put them on the record as often as he can.

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Republicans can “vote with your constituents or vote with President Trump,” Kaine said. “Over time, the instability is creating huge concerns.”

Kaine is introducing the two resolutions with a group of Democrats and Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, an outspoken opponent of Trump’s tariffs. By introducing the measures, the group is triggering a decades-old law that allows Congress to block a president’s emergency powers and force votes on Trump’s declarations, whether majority Republicans want to hold the votes or not.

The law allows lawmakers to reintroduce the legislation and force new votes every six months — something Kaine says he will do until the policy is changed.

The votes will come at a time of turmoil for the economy. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said last week that Trump’s tariff policy is one of several factors that are expected to increase jobless rates and inflation and lower overall growth this year. Republicans from farm states and beyond, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, have expressed wariness about some of the sweeping tariffs and concerns about the effects on businesses that depend on Canadian trade.

Still, Republicans have mostly deferred to Trump on his administration’s trade policy, so far declining to block it and arguing that the president needs time to work on deals with individual countries.

“I think everybody kind of knows my views on tariffs, but the fact of the matter is, the president ran on this,” Thune said earlier this year.

The resolution to block the Canadian tariffs would end the emergency declaration that Trump signed in February to implement tariffs on Canada as punishment for not doing enough to halt the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. The Senate passed the same resolution in April with support from Paul and three other Republicans — Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Trump called out the four on social media at the time, encouraging them to “get on the Republican bandwagon.”

The second resolution would block Trump’s 50% tariffs on Brazil, ending an emergency that Trump linked to Brazil’s policies and criminal prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

In addition to oil, Brazil sells orange juice, coffee, iron and steel to the U.S., among other products. The U.S. ran a $6.8 billion trade surplus with Brazil last year, according to the Census Bureau.

Democrats hope that more Republicans will vote against the tariffs as effects on the economy become more clear.

Kaine says his hope is that Republicans will support the measure because “now it’s real,” when the tariffs hadn’t been implemented yet last spring. “It’s not theoretical,” he said.

Kaine also forced a separate vote on the broader global tariffs Trump announced in early April, but that was voted down 49-49. The resolution potentially could have passed, though, if Republican Sen. McConnell and Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island had not been absent.