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Committee hears local business concerns as sponsors urge Congress to rescind emergency tariffs
Summary
Representative Simpson told the panel newly declared emergency tariffs function as a de facto tax on consumers and risked New Hampshire jobs tied to trade with Canada; small businesses and tourism impacts were cited.
Representative Alexis Simpson asked the committee to urge Congress to rescind tariffs enacted under an emergency declaration April 2, 2025, arguing the measure operates ‘‘in practice as a broad tax on Americans’’ and particularly affects New Hampshire because Canada is the state’s largest trading partner.
The sponsor presented figures showing cross-border trade and argued that imports such as fuel, seafood and wood products — goods that affect heating and construction costs — are vulnerable to tariffs. She told the committee that international trade supports roughly 182,000 New Hampshire jobs and warned that tariffs’ supply-chain disruptions and price increases threaten small and medium-sized businesses.
Members asked clarifying questions about the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the president’s statutory authority to act under it; witnesses and the sponsor noted existing legal and congressional avenues to challenge or rescind emergency tariff actions. Several small-business statements submitted to the committee described immediate procurement shifts, inventory bought at higher tariff-inflated prices, and customer behavior changes.
The committee did not take a final vote on a recommendation at the hearing; sponsors said the resolution is an advising instrument to coax federal review and congressional oversight of emergency tariff use.
Ending: The committee recessed debate for a future executive session; staff were asked to provide background material on IEEPA and trade impacts.
