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Unidentified senator urges passage of S.J. Res. 88 to repeal Trump-era tariffs
Summary
An unidentified senator urged the Senate to pass Senate Joint Resolution 88 to repeal tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, arguing the duties raise consumer costs—about $2,800 per family on average—and harm farmers and manufacturers; no vote is recorded in the transcript.
An unidentified senator urged the Senate to pass Senate Joint Resolution 88 on the floor, saying the measure would repeal tariffs imposed under former President Donald Trump and provide relief for American households facing rising costs. "Senate joint resolution 88," the senator said, "to repeal Donald Trump's price hiking global tariffs."
The senator framed the issue as an economic and jobs matter that crosses party lines, arguing that tariffs have pushed up household expenses and squeezed family budgets. "More than 3 quarters of families say their monthly expenses have increased by more than $100 a month," the senator said, adding a numeric estimate: "The average family will see about $2,800 in higher costs because of the Trump tariffs."
The floor remarks tied the tariffs to broader disruptions in trade policy and administration practice, including sudden changes in tariff lists, enforcement problems at customs that have led to destroyed shipments and, the senator said, "secretive deals to lift tariffs for certain companies and products." The senator urged colleagues to reassert congressional authority over tariffs, saying the Constitution gives Congress the final word on trade and that the Senate "ought to cancel that tax hike."
The senator described industry-level impacts in their state and beyond, listing blueberry farmers, brewers, small manufacturers and the semiconductor sector among those harmed and warning that "thousands of good paying jobs" are under pressure. As a local example, the senator cited Columbus, Indiana, where they said "thousands of jobs depend on manufacturing, mostly diesel engines for export markets" and warned that reliance on overseas parts and tariff-driven market shifts have created long-term damage.
Agricultural producers were a focal point of the argument. The senator said farmers face higher costs for fertilizer and equipment while export markets have contracted; they noted that Kansas producers harvested an unusually large sorghum crop but lost buyers to competitors abroad. "Buyers in Canada and Mexico and China have slashed orders for French fries, hash browns, and a variety of other products like frozen potatoes," the senator said.
Throughout the remarks the senator stressed that the Senate can act now to undo the tariffs and relieve households and businesses, saying legislators should not defer to the executive branch on tariff authority. The senator thanked colleagues including "Senator Kaine" and "Senator Crane" for partnership in the effort and yielded the floor at the end of the statement.
The transcript records the senator's call for passage of S.J. Res. 88 but does not record any subsequent motion, roll-call or voice vote on the resolution in this excerpt.
