WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today released the following statement on President Trump’s new tariffs, which will raise tariff rates for nearly every country, inflict higher costs on consumers and businesses, and plunge the economy into chaos:
“A tariff is a tax, and President Trump is singlehandedly raising taxes on families, businesses, and farmers across America.
“President Trump’s irresponsible trade war is yet another example of the Trump Administration’s chaos, cruelty, and corruption. Vermont’s small businesses, farmers, and manufacturers have no idea what to expect day-to-day. America’s working families will see higher prices. Production is being paused at American factories and hardworking employees are being laid off—next to come will be the plant closures. Our economy will shift to an access economy, where the connected and the wealthy have the upper hand.
“President Trump is, once again, letting his personal feelings denigrate many of America’s longest standing and strongest trade and diplomatic relationships. In doing so he is hurting America’s leadership on the global stage and weakening alliances. These tariffs have ripple effects—hurting supply chains, tourism, and travel, and limiting economic growth. It is shocking my colleagues across the aisle refuse to stand up against the White House’s recklessness and reassert our Constitutional authority over trade. The longer these unnecessary trade wars endure, the more China wins. I will continue to fight these tariffs at every turn.”
This week, Senator Welch pushed for a vote on his bipartisan Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, legislation to exempt United States-owned small businesses from tariffs imposed on Canada. Senate Republicans blocked the unanimous consent request and refused to support small businesses in their states. He has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. In addition to leading the CANADA Act, the Senator cosponsored a bipartisan resolution to repeal the tariffs on Canada, a bipartisan bill to restore congressional tariff authority, a bill to restrict the Executive Branch’s authority to impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, and a bill to exempt small businesses from the April 2nd global tariff Executive Order.
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