News

WASHINGTON, D.C., (August 2, 2022) — Americans for Free Trade (AFT) spokesperson Jonathan Gold released the below statement following President Joe Biden’s recent discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping:

“While it is encouraging to see President Biden and President Xi working to bridge relations between the United States and China, it is essential that trade be at the forefront of any discussion. For more than four years, the tariffs enacted by the Trump administration have added a harmful and unnecessary tension to the bilateral economic relationship between the two countries. The tariffs have not only failed to encourage China to end its detrimental trading behaviors but have created burdensome costs for American families and businesses at a time when inflation is rampant. Businesses, workers and families across the U.S. are relying on the Biden administration to immediately repeal these tariffs.”
 

###

WASHINGTON, D.C., (July 27, 2022) — Americans for Free Trade (AFT) spokesperson Jonathan Gold released the below statement following the Senate’s passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022

“Congress has missed an opportunity to help the countless businesses, farmers, manufacturers, and consumers who continue to be harmed by the China 301 tariffs. We had hoped to see the passage of a China competition bill that included language to reinvigorate the tariffs exclusion process to provide needed tariff relief. Inaction is only making the situation worse, and we continue to call on policymakers to relieve the burden these tariffs have imposed since the start of the trade war. These tariffs are taxes that raise the prices of the goods Americans need most at a time they can least afford it, and the time to act is now.”

###

WASHINGTON, D.C., (July 8, 2022) — Today, Americans for Free Trade (AFT), a broad coalition of American businesses, trade organizations, and workers united against tariffs, sent a prehearing statement to United States International Trade Commission (ITC) Chair David Johanson to include in the public record of Investigation No. 332-591, Economic Impact of Section 232 and 301 Tariffs on U.S. Industries. In the letter, AFT expressed appreciation for the ITC’s undertaking of an investigation into the effects of tariffs and reiterated the harmful impact they have had on the U.S. economy.

“Since the tariffs were first imposed nearly four years ago, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assessed more than $140 billion dollars in tariffs on American companies who import products from China,” Americans for Free Trade wrote. “These taxes create tremendous uncertainty, increase the cost of doing business in the United States, and place a financial burden on American businesses – negatively impacting their ability to invest in their companies, hire more American workers, and remain competitive globally.”

AFT continues to call for an open and transparent assessment of the impact tariffs have had on the U.S. economy since the beginning of the trade war with China. For more than four years, the tariffs have contributed to increased costs for American businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and consumers.

More than 170 trade associations signed on to the letter. The full text of the letter may be found here and below.

July 8, 2022

David Johanson
Chair
U.S. International Trade Commission 
500 E Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20436

RE:     Economic Impact of Section 232 and 301 Tariffs on U.S. Industries, Investigation No. 332-591

Dear Chairman Johanson,

The Americans for Free Trade coalition, a broad alliance of American businesses, trade organizations, and workers united against tariffs, respectfully submits this prehearing statement to include in the public record of Investigation No. 332-591, Economic Impact of Section 232 and 301 Tariffs on U.S. Industries. We applaud the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations for directing this investigation and appreciate the Commission commencing it without delay. We expect the study will show how the tariffs have negatively impacted our economy and contributed to record high inflation.

By way of background, Americans for Free Trade represents every part of the U.S. economy including manufacturers, farmers and agribusinesses, retailers, technology companies, service suppliers, natural gas and oil companies, importers, exporters, and other supply chain stakeholders. Collectively, we employ tens of millions of Americans through our vast supply chains. Our coalition was formed in 2018, when the Section 301 tariffs on imports from China were first imposed. While we support efforts to hold China accountable for failure to safeguard intellectual property rights and innovation through forced technology transfers, we raised concerns that imposing tariffs would have little positive impact on Chinese behavior and disproportionate negative economic impacts on American businesses, workers, and consumers. Over the last four years, that concern has become a reality.

Since the tariffs were first imposed nearly four years ago, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assessed more than $140 billion dollars in tariffs on American companies who import products from China. These taxes create tremendous uncertainty, increase the cost of doing business in the United States, and place a financial burden on American businesses – negatively impacting their ability to invest in their companies, hire more American workers, and remain competitive globally. For many companies, the tariffs are a primary impediment to building or expanding manufacturing facilities in the United States. More recently, American companies have faced increased uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, historic supply chain disruptions, rising energy costs, and runaway inflation. This has created increased economic pressure on American companies and families and dampened U.S. competitiveness. 

We continue to call for an end to the China 301 tariffs that have had a disproportionate economic impact on American companies, consumers, and workers and that have failed to change China’s unfair trade practices. To assist the Commission’s work, we have collected the relevant academic and think tank research on the tariffs and their impact on the U.S. economy.[1] For example, according to a recent Moody’s Investor Service Report, the tariffs “hit American businesses and consumers hardest,” with China absorbing only 7.6 percent of the tariffs “while the rest of the tab was picked up by Americans.” Further, recent articles have highlighted that the tariffs are having a modest but real impact on inflationary pressures.[2] We believe the Commission’s investigation will reach similar conclusions.

We appreciate the Commission’s expertise and its undertaking of this important investigation. We look forward to participating in additional steps of this process and the Commission’s findings.

Sincerely,

Accessories Council

ACT | The App Association 

Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC)

ALMA, International (Association of Loudspeaker Manufacturing and Acoustics)

American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)

American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI)

American Association of Port Authorities

American Bakers Association

American Bridal & Prom Industry Association (ABPIA)

American Chemistry Council

American Clean Power Association 

American Down and Feather Council

American Fly Fishing Trade Association

American Home Furnishings Alliance

American Lighting Association

American Petroleum Institute

American Pyrotechnics Association

American Rental Association

American Seed Trade Association

American Specialty Toy Retailing Association

American Trucking Association

Arizona Technology Council

Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association

Association For Creative Industries

Association for PRINT Technologies

Association of American Publishers 

Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) 

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Auto Care Association

Beer Institute

BSA | The Software Alliance

Business Alliance for Customs Modernization

California Retailers Association

Can Manufacturers Institute

Carolina Loggers Association

Chemical Industry Council of Delaware (CICD) 

Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT)

Coalition of Services Industries (CSI)

Colorado Retail Council

Columbia River Customs Brokers and Forwarders Assn.

Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA)

Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)

Consumer Brands Association

Consumer Technology Association

Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)

CropLife America

Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Assn. of Washington State

Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders of Northern California

Electronic Transactions Association 

Energy Workforce & Technology Council

Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance 

Experiential Designers and Producers Association 

Fashion Accessories Shippers Association (FASA)

Fashion Jewelry & Accessories Trade Association

Flexible Packaging Association

Florida Ports Council

Florida Retail Federation

Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA)

Fragrance Creators Association

Game Manufacturers Association

Gemini Shippers Association

Georgia Retailers

Global Chamber® 

Global Cold Chain Alliance 

Greeting Card Association

Halloween Industry Association

Home Fashion Products Association

Home Furnishings Association

Household and Commercial Products Association

Idaho Retailers Association

Illinois Retail Merchants Association

Independent Office Products & Furniture Dealers Association (IOPFDA)

Indiana Retail Council

Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)

International Bottled Water Association (IBWA)

International Foodservice Distributors Association

International Housewares Association

International Warehouse and Logistics Association (IWLA)

International Wood Products Association

ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association

Jeweler’s Vigilance Committee

Juice Products Association (JPA)

Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association

Leather and Hide Council of America

Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association

Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Assn.

Louisiana Retailers Association

Maine Grocers & Food Producers Association

Maine Lobster Dealers’ Association

Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay

Maryland Retailers Association

Michigan Chemistry Council

Michigan Retailers Association

Minnesota Retailers Association

Missouri Retailers Association

Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association

Motorcycle Industry Council

NAPIM (National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers)

National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)

National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) 

National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ)

National Association of Home Builders

National Association of Music Merchants

National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM)

National Confectioners Association

National Council of Chain Restaurants

National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)

National Fisheries Institute

National Foreign Trade Council

National Grocers Association

National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association 

National Marine Manufacturers Association

National Pork Producers Council

National Restaurant Association

National Retail Federation

National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association

National Sporting Goods Association

Natural Products Association

New Jersey Retail Merchants Association

North American Association of Food Equipment 

Manufacturers (NAFEM)

North American Association of Uniform 

Manufacturers and Distributors (NAUMD)

North Carolina Retail Merchants Association

Ohio Council of Retail Merchants

Outdoor Industry Association

Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and 

Freight Forwarders Assns. Inc.

Pennsylvania Retailers’ Association

PeopleforBikes 

Personal Care Products Council

Pet Advocacy Network 

Pet Food Institute

Plumbing Manufacturers International 

Power Tool Institute (PTI)

PRINTING United Alliance

Promotional Products Association International (PPAI)

Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association 

Retail Association of Maine

Retail Council of New York State

Retail Industry Leaders Association

Retailers Association of Massachusetts

RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)

RV Industry Association

San Diego Customs Brokers and Forwarders Assn.

SEMI

Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA)

Snowsports Industries America

Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)

South Dakota Retailers Association

Specialty Equipment Market Association

Specialty Vehicle Institute of America 

Sports & Fitness Industry Association

TechNet

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)

Texas Water Infrastructure Network 

The Airforwarders Association

The Fertilizer Institute

The Hardwood Federation

Toy Association

Travel Goods Association

Truck & Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA)

United States Council for International Business

United States Fashion Industry Association

US Global Value Chain Coalition

US-China Business Council

Vinyl Institute

Virginia Association of Chain Drug Stores

Virginia Retail Federation

Virginia-DC District Export Council (VA-DC DEC)

Washington Retail Association

Water Quality Association

Window and Door Manufacturers Association

World Pet Association, Inc. (WPA)

###

WASHINGTON, D.C., (June 29, 2022) — New data released by Americans for Free Trade, a broad coalition united in the fight against tariffs, reveals the steep price United States businesses, consumers, workers, and manufacturers have paid as part of the ongoing trade war with China. 

Americans have paid an estimated $129 billion in Section 301 tariffs between July 2018 and April 2022, and there is no sign that Section 301 tariffs are slowing. In fact, the last nine months (August 2021 – April 2022) have proven to be the most expensive yet.

“Between the COVID-19 pandemic and rising costs from inflation, the last thing that American businesses and consumers should have to worry about are tariffs. Enough is enough,” said Americans for Free Trade spokesperson Jonathan Gold. “It’s been over four years since the trade war began, and people across the country are only continuing to suffer. If the Biden administration is serious about promoting worker-centric policies, it will move swiftly to remove the harmful tariffs and help U.S. companies recover.”

The data also showed that:

• The average monthly Section 301 tariffs paid under President Biden ($3.8 billion) are 67% higher than average monthly 301 tariffs paid under President Trump ($2.3 billion).
• About 55% of Section 301 tariffs were paid under President Trump ($71 billion) versus 45% under President Biden ($57 billion).
• Companies were able to avoid $21 billion in payments to the government up until the Section 301 tariffs exclusions were mostly ended on December 31, 2020.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2022) — Americans for Free Trade (AFT) spokesperson Jonathan Gold released the below statement following yesterday’s speech by Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the Biden administration’s strategy for U.S. diplomatic relations with China.

“As Secretary Blinken noted in his speech, trade should support and create new opportunities for U.S. workers. However, that goal remains out of reach for many, as tariffs imposed by the previous administration remain in place on more than $350 billion worth of goods imported from China. These tariffs are taxes on American families, businesses, farmers, and manufacturers, and have been wholly ineffective in pushing China to end its abusive trade practices. For the Biden administration’s approach to relations with China to be successful, it must prioritize bringing this long-running trade war to an end.”

###

WASHINGTON, D.C., (May 25, 2022) — Earlier this week, Americans for Free Trade held a “Tariff Talk” with speakers from four top think tanks to get their perspective on the trade war’s continued impact on the American economy as the Office of the United States Trade Representative conducts its four-year review of the tariffs.

You can find a video of the full AFT Tariff Talk, which was hosted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) at the CTA Innovation House, on our Twitter page here.

Featured speakers at the event, which was moderated by Politico’s Doug Palmer, included:

• Ed Gresser, Vice President and Director for Trade and Global Markets at the Progressive Policy Institute
• Christine McDaniel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University
• Zach Moller, Director of the Economic Program for Third Way
• Tori Smith, Director of International Economic Policy for the American Action Forum

Throughout the event, speakers reiterated a truth that businesses throughout the nation are all too familiar with: tariffs are taxes on American families, workers, and businesses:

“The wide consensus of economists is that consumers eventually pay the tariff.” – Ed Gresser, Progressive Policy Institute

“We know that tariffs are taxes on you and me.” – Tori Smith, American Action Forum

But, as Third Way’s Zach Moller pointed out, “We cannot talk about tariffs today without talking about their impact on inflation.”

Inflation is top-of-mind for American voters and policymakers alike, with rising prices sure to have a dramatic impact on this year’s midterm elections. The urgency of the issue and the way tariffs contribute to increased costs were a primary focus for many of the event’s speakers:

“We need to be fighting inflation literally every way we can. Lowering tariffs is a way Democrats and the Biden administration could act on inflation, and I’m frankly surprised we haven’t seen more action on it.” – Zach Moller, Third Way

“[Lifting the tariffs] is not going to be a panacea [for inflation], but it’s certainly going to help. And you’re going to get a lot better bang for the buck when you do all the other good things you should be doing.” – Christine McDaniel, Mercatus Center

Speakers each had different ideas for what exactly the future could hold for American trade policy, but the common conclusion was that regardless of what shape that policy takes, it is time for the tariffs to go:

“I think it’s obvious to say that it’s time for these tariffs to go.” – Tori Smith, American Action Forum

“There’s very little awareness of tariffs as part of the tax system and what we’re taxing and why is it that we’ve allowed such a weirdly regressive tariff system … it’s something that’s very ripe for reform.” – Ed Gresser, Progressive Policy Institute

As the Mercatus Center’s Christine McDaniel pointed out, “In all this, we have lost sight of the American business … The vast majority don’t want these tariffs.” 

If you are interested in speaking with someone about the trade war and its negative impact on Americans, please contact press@americansforfreetrade.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C., (May 18, 2022) — As we approach the 2022 midterms, the Biden administration faces a range of economic obstacles that will be at the top of voters’ minds, and nothing has Americans more worried than the ongoing inflation contributing to increased prices for the everyday goods they need most. While President Biden seeks to address this inflation, calls are increasing for his administration to use every tool at its disposal, including finally ending former President Trump’s trade war with China. 

Tariffs are taxes on American families, businesses, farmers, and manufacturers. They make the items they need more expensive, and have contributed to the economic uncertainty facing the nation. And now, economists across the political spectrum are speaking out. 

Speaking with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Jason Furman, who served as Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors under former President Obama, called the tariffs on imports from China “the biggest stone that’s unturned” in the fight against inflation, adding:

“I’d love to see them lift most of the tariffs that President Trump imposed. That would bring down inflation directly, would increase competition and the economy, and indirectly bring down prices even more … This would be the biggest step he could take, that he’s not taken so far.”

These comments follow the March release of a study from the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), which found that removing all of the tariffs levied by former President Trump would lead to a 1.3 percentage point decline in the consumer price index inflation. Additionally, PIIE Economist Chad Bown wrote in March:

“The trade war was also costly to the US economy through the impact of the US tariffs. Numerous economic studies have documented that the effect of the tariffs was to raise prices and hurt American consumers and companies … harming American competitiveness by reducing employment and sales.”

Americans are eager to see what comes of the Biden administration’s four-year review of some of former President Trump’s tariffs, as administration officials have pointed totariff relief as a possible way to combat inflation. 

Now, many are hoping that it finally provides economic relief that is long overdue, because as the National Taxpayers Union highlighted earlier this year:

“[T]here’s no denying that Trump’s Section 301 tariffs have cost Americans billions of dollars while failing to achieve their primary policy aims. The Biden administration should allow the tariffs to end as scheduled and pursue alternatives that are more likely to benefit the United States.”

If you are interested in speaking with someone about the trade war and its negative impact on Americans, please contact press@americansforfreetrade.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C., (May 5, 2022) — Americans for Free Trade (AFT) spokesperson Jonathan Gold released the below statement following yesterday’s vote on the Motion to Instruct proposed by Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) to include Section 73001 as included in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act in a final conferenced Bipartisan Innovation Act.

“By voting in support of this Motion to Instruct, the Senate has once again recognized the importance of reinvigorating the exclusion process for products subject to Section 301 tariffs and demonstrated its commitment to finding a solution for the American businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and families who continue to struggle with the additional economic burden these tariffs create. They make the U.S. less competitive globally and cause disproportionate economic harm to an American economy grappling with ongoing inflation concerns. While the best solution would be to lift the tariffs and take a more strategic approach to address China’s unfair trade practices, we believe reinstituting this exclusion process is a critical interim step to providing relief to U.S. businesses and making them more competitive with their Chinese counterparts.”

###