AFP, Freedom Partners and The LIBRE Initiative Urge White House to Abandon Harmful Tariff Policy in Official Comment to USTR

Arlington, Va. – Americans for Prosperity, together with its grassroots partner, The LIBRE Initiative, and Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, today expressed opposition to the Trump administration’s effort to enact tariffs and trade barriers that would severely undermine economic growth, undermine the 2017 tax cuts, and negatively affect American consumers, as well as the workers and businesses the tax cuts are intended to help.

In an official comment to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, the organizations urged the administration to reconsider their counterproductive trade policies and instead pursue policies that unwind problematic trade barriers and open and expand access to new markets.

READ THE FULL COMMENT HERE

AFP Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardner issued the following statement: 

“The tariffs being proposed by this administration would directly undermine the success of tax reform and the strength of our economy. They would devastate businesses who rely on these materials, stunt the growth of companies that would otherwise invest and expand, and increase costs on products Americans buy every day – falling hardest on lower-and-middle income families who can least afford it. Americans for Prosperity strongly opposes Section 301 action imposing new tariffs, and we urge the White House to reconsider this counterproductive policy and not make the same regrettable mistakes of past administrations.”

Freedom Partners Executive Vice President Nathan Nascimento issued the following statement:

“Make no mistake: the tit-for-tat trade dispute with China is well underway and has already begun to deliver economic harm to our nation’s businesses, workers and consumers. Making good on this round of tariffs will only escalate this damaging back-and-forth, leaving our trade-dependent regions in the rural Midwest and South bearing the brunt of vast and serious unintended consequences. Raising costs on everyday goods for those who can least afford it – and manufacturing inputs for our businesses and workers – is no path to a thriving economy, particularly so given the millions of families benefiting from the recent tax-cut enacted by Congress just last year. We urge the administration to forego this self-destructive policy and instead work to lower trade barriers.”

Daniel Garza, President of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:

“Right now, Hispanic workers and families are benefiting from strong economic growth – for what seems like the first time in a long time. Just last week we learned that Hispanic unemployment has reached an all-time low. With millions of families benefiting from the recent tax-cut enacted by Congress, and working to achieve the American Dream, we must avoid shortsighted and costly policies that will harm our economy. Tariffs are simply disguised taxes that will lead to price increases, which are passed on to consumers and businesses here in the U.S., and ultimately cost us a loss of American jobs. Moreover, imposing tariffs will potentially spark other nations to retaliate and impose their own tariffs on American exports, hurting consumers around the world. They will also undercut the competitiveness of American companies engaging in markets around the world. The administration should instead seek solutions that limit taxes on consumers, while opening markets to American exports.”