I’m Challenging Trump’s Reckless Tariff Policies

President Donald Trump’s reckless tariff policies are upheaving our economy and making life more expensive for Americans. Groceries are skyrocketing, prices on everyday goods are increasing, manufacturers are laying off workers, and Americans are struggling to pay their bills. I’ve heard from so many Virginians, including small business owners, about how these taxes are hurting them.

That’s why this week, I’m forcing three votes on the Senate floor to undo these new taxes on Americans.

My bipartisan legislation that the Senate will be voting on this week would repeal Trump’s tariffs on billions of dollars in goods from Canada and Brazil, as well as Trump’s global tariffs, all of which he imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA).

Here are the facts:

• Canada is one of our closest allies and trading partners. Since President Trump launched his trade war with Canada, exports of U.S. distilled spirits declined by about 85 percent, and tourism from Canada to the U.S. has fallen substantially, with car trips dropping by nearly 37 percent in July compared to the prior summer.
• Trade between the U.S. and Brazil supports nearly 130,000 jobs in the U.S., and the U.S. has a trade surplus with Brazil. President Trump has said that he is implementing tariffs on Brazil not to help Americans, but rather to punish Brazil for holding Trump’s friend and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accountable for attempting a coup.
• Trump’s global tariffs mean that Americans will pay up to 40 percent more on all imports into the U.S.
• Trump’s tariffs amount to one of the largest tax hikes on Americans in U.S. history.
• It’s estimated that as much as 55 percent of the tariffs will be passed onto U.S. consumers by the end of the year. It could increase to as much as 70 percent next year.

The Senate already passed my bipartisan bill to undo the Canada tariffs in April, but the House of Representatives refused to take it up.

Now, we have another opportunity to send a message to President Trump that Americans are against these Canada tariffs, as well as the Brazil and global tariffs. When these bills come to the Senate floor this week, I will be urging my colleagues to do what they know is right and vote with Americans, not with President Trump.

I look forward to keeping in touch and hearing about the issues that matter most to you. If you or a loved one need help with a federal agency, please reach out to a member of my staff here. If you’d like to receive updates on my work in the U.S. Senate, sign up here to receive my newsletters and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky.