Wyden and Merkley call to refund tariffs to small businesses after court rebuke

Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley told Oregon constituents they will press to return tariffs collected under recent Trump administration actions to small businesses and taxpayers after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down those measures.

Wyden said his proposal previously passed in the Senate on a 51‑to‑47 tally to strike down the tariffs and that he and Merkley are working to use the Small Business Administration as a vehicle to refund money to ‘‘hard‑hit taxpayers and small businesses.’’ Wyden said, "we are going to use the Small Business Administration because they have expertise in small businesses as the place that we're going to focus on to get the money refunded." Merkley added that the administration will likely pursue alternative tariff approaches and that congressional vigilance is required.

Why it matters: Constituents told the senators that tariffs have raised consumer prices and worsened trade balances. Wyden and Merkley said the tariffs have increased costs for Oregonians and contributed to a larger trade deficit and lost U.S. manufacturing jobs. Wyden said the goal of the refund plan is to prioritize small businesses and modest‑income taxpayers rather than larger firms that benefited from prior policies.

What the senators are proposing and next steps: Wyden said he and two colleagues drafted legislation to route refunds through the SBA and that he will continue building support in the Senate. Merkley and Wyden warned the administration may seek other statutory authorities — including a 1974 Trade Act authority for 150‑day measures — so they plan ongoing oversight and, if needed, additional legislation. No specific bill number or appropriations source for a refund program was cited during the town hall.

Context and constraints: Both senators stressed that the Supreme Court decision limited the administration's current tariff approach but does not prevent future executive actions. Wyden said the administration has built ‘‘slush funds’’ and that Congress must restore the power of the purse to ensure accountability. The senators did not provide an implementation timetable; Wyden said the refund proposal was introduced ‘‘yesterday’’ and details are being circulated to stakeholders.

The town hall: The senators discussed tariffs at multiple points during the virtual session and asked constituents to contact their offices with specifics about businesses harmed by tariffs. No formal vote on a refund mechanism occurred at the meeting; the senators described legislative steps they plan to pursue.