MANCHESTER, VT — At a roundtable in Manchester this afternoon, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) brought together Vermont businesses and manufacturers to hear directly how global tariffs and President Trump’s trade war are impacting them. The event was held at The Orvis Company, which was founded in Manchester, Vermont, in 1856.
This roundtable follows Senator Welch’s recent trip to Ottawa, where he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Canadian leaders to discuss President Trump’s tariffs and trade war.
“I always appreciate hearing directly from Vermonters about how President Trump’s tariffs are hurting the success of manufacturers and farmers here in our state. As I said after President Trump threatened these tariffs, nobody wins a trade war. Congress must reassert its constitutional role over trade policy and end this White House’s economic blunder,” said Senator Welch.
“It was clear listening to folks in Manchester today: we so revere the relationship between Vermonters and Canadians, both in the personal and the economic sense—and the rhetoric and reckless policies they’re forced to respond to are causing real harm,” concluded Senator Welch. “I traveled with a bipartisan delegation of Senators last week to convey how important Canada is to us in Vermont, as it is to so many border states. I know families, businesses, and farmers in the Green Mountain State feel the same way.”
Senator Welch was joined by business leaders from a variety of industries, including homebuilding, retail, and food and kitchen manufacturing, including Orvis, Vermont Country Store, JK Adams, Mary Meyer Stuffed Toys, RK Miles, Back Roads Granola, RAD Innovations, and Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC).
Senator Welch 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. Senator Welch is a cosponsor of 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. Senator Welch also led a bipartisan resolution to end President Trump’s ruinous global tariffs.
The Senator has hosted roundtables in Stowe, Newport, St. Albans, and virtually to hear concerns and first-hand stories from Vermont and Canadian leaders impacted by the trade war.
Media Note: A recording of the event can be provided upon request.
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