Category: Americas

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following an endorsement from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement welcoming broad support for their bipartisan legislation to undo President Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, which amount to a 25 percent tax on goods imported from one of America’s top trading partners and closest allies. The legislation will be voted on today.

“We welcome the strong support we continue to receive from both organized labor and businesses, including from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for our legislation to undo Trump’s new sales tax on Canadian goods,” said the senators. “The outpouring of endorsements for our effort highlights that these new taxes are bad for America’s businesses that need stability to thrive and for hardworking families who want prices to go down, not up. We are giving every Senator an opportunity today to put their constituents’ pocketbooks first by challenging a nonsensical trade war with one of America’s closest trading partners and allies.”

“Tariffs are taxes—paid by Americans—and they will quickly increase prices at a time when many are struggling with the cost of living. These import taxes are also harming U.S. manufactures and drawing retaliatory duties, worsening their impact on our economy… It is appropriate for Congress to exercise its authority under IEEPA and pass SJ Res 37, which would terminate the national emergency and the imposition of tariffs under Executive Order 14193,” wrote Neil L. Bradley, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy, in the Chamber’s endorsement letter, which is available here.

In addition to the Chamber, the senators’ bill is supported by the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers (USW), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Retail Federation (NRF), the North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Foreign Policy for America (FP4A), the National Taxpayers Union, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Advancing American Freedom. Here’s what they’re saying:

North America’s Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey: “The United States and Canada share far more than just a border—we share a deep, enduring economic and workforce partnership that has strengthened both our nations for generations… That partnership is enshrined in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a comprehensive trade agreement that President Trump himself negotiated and enacted that already governs our economic relations in this hemisphere… By circumventing this agreement and imposing unilateral tariffs on Canada, the Administration is harmfully undermining a key foreign ally while also carelessly shooting holes in the credibility of its own signature economic policy.”

The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) Executive Director for Legislative and Political Affairs Stanley E. Kolbe, Jr.: “On behalf of our membership, SMACNA would like to voice its strong support for S.J. Res. 37… Tariff penalties aimed at Canada for non-trade objectives have already caused harsh and unnecessary economic pain for US workers and harm to our nation’s construction and related metal fabricating as well as HVAC equipment manufacturing businesses. In fact, it will punish businesses, labor and economies on both sides of the border, and in direct contravention of the provisions featured in the existing USMCA.”

The National Retail Federation (NRF) Executive Vice President for Government Relations David French: “While we strongly agree with the need to secure our borders, we do not believe using trade tools such as tariffs for non-trade purposes is the right approach to achieve this goal, especially without closest trading partner… U.S. retailers depend on Canada for a wide range of consumer goods under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which Congress overwhelmingly approved. Canada represents a significant market for U.S. retailers that not only have operations in Canada but also rely on a robust cross-border consumer market, with Canadian consumers hopping in U.S. retail stores on a daily basis. These operations are all now being significantly disrupted because of the tariffs applied to Canada under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Canada’s retaliation against those tariffs.”

The U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran: “…We write to express our strong support for S.J. Res. 37, the joint resolution to terminate the national emergency declared on February 1, 2025, that launched a trade war with Canada and thus to terminate the tariffs on Canadian imports implemented as part of that unfounded emergency… This declaration has triggered a damaging and unnecessary trade conflict with Canada—our closest ally, largest trading partner, and critical collaborator in addressing economic and public safety challenges across North America… These actions are raising prices for consumers, disrupting key industries such as construction and manufacturing, and threatening jobs in communities large and small. They also risk increasing already high housing costs, as tariffs on Canadian lumber, steel, aluminum, and other critical building materials will make housing construction and infrastructure development significantly more expensive.”

AFL-CIO Director of Government Affairs Jody Calemine: “On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I urge you to support S.J. Res. 37, a resolution introduced by Senator Tim Kaine to terminate the national emergency that was declared to justify tariffs on imports from Canada under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)… However, imposing large, across the board tariffs on Canada aimed at non-trade objectives will only cause unnecessary economic pain for workers and businesses on both sides of the border.”

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) International President Brian Bryant: “On behalf of the 600,000 active and retired members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), I write today in strong support of S.J. Res. 37… These new tariffs on Canada, one of our closest allies and largest trading partners, are unjust and will have lasting negative impacts on American and Canadian workers… The Trump administration’s erratic approach to tariffs is wreaking havoc on workers and businesses in the United States and Canada. Punishing one of our nation’s closest trading partners based on a false pretense is wrong and the action needs to be reversed.”

International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matthew S. Biggs and Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson: “As the Executive Officers of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), representing 90,000 workers in the private, public, and federal sectors across North America, we are writing in support of S.J. Res. 37… Canada is America’s closest ally and number one trading partner. Our trading relationship uplifts American and Canadian working families alike. Imposing reckless tariffs on Canadian imports will harm both the U.S. and Canadian economies and do even greater harm to working families on both sides of the border. Congress must step in now to block this reckless and destructive policy.”

National Taxpayers Union: “Canada is an important supplier of goods that strengthen U.S. security, including crude oil, natural gas, steel, and aluminum. Tariffs that restrict our access to these supplies and increase their cost will weaken our industrial base and undermine our ability to sustain our defense in the event of a national emergency.”

Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams: “TPA enthusiastically supports Sens. Tim Kaine and Rand Paul’s CRA to overturn President Trump’s February 1, 2025, national emergency declaration. This use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is fraught with issues. The ensuing trade war will inevitably raise costs for consumers. Placing a 25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico will harm consumers and the vast majority of American businesses.”

United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall: “On behalf of the 850,000 active members of the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW), I urge you to support S.J. Res. 37, a resolution introduced by Senator Tim Kaine to terminate the national emergency that was declared to impose duties on imports from Canada, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)… These new tariffs are misdirected, unsubstantiated by facts, and harmful to the very workers we represent.”

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) President Tim Chapman: “Tariffs are a tax on American families and businesses. The first Trump administration cut an excellent deal with Canada with USMCA. The president should not abandon this agreement and lacks the authority to unilaterally do so.”