Tariffs are hitting Americans’ pocketbooks hard—and Congress is just watching it happen.
Tariffs are a complex economic tool that American politicians of both parties have used—and debated—for centuries. But when a president sidesteps Congress to impose sweeping tariffs, the American people lose their ability to weigh in.
Across Arizona, small business owners are being hit hard by the Trump administration’s tariffs. Many are finding it harder to plan for the future, struggling to keep their doors open, and being forced to pass higher import costs on to customers. That means thousands of dollars in higher costs for Arizona families.
Congress [needs to] stand up on the subject of the tariffs and understand that…it’s costing me money, it’s costing the 48 people who work here money, and it’s costing the hundreds of guests who come in here money. And that adds up.
–Doug Levy, Executive Chef & Restaurateur, Tucson
The Constitutional problem
The Constitution gives Congress and its Members, like Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6), the power to regulate tariffs and trade (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3).
Throughout history, Congress has delegated pieces of that power to the president, letting the president impose tariffs—essentially taxes—under some circumstances without approval from lawmakers. The current administration has challenged the limits of that delegation, claiming “emergency” authority to impose massive global tariffs with little explanation or justification.
It’s not fair, or constitutional, for one branch of government to make sweeping economic decisions that hurt families and small businesses across Arizona.
It’s time for Congress to step up
We’re calling on Members of Congress like Rep. Juan Ciscomani to protect the people they serve by:
- Holding the executive branch accountable
- Reclaiming Congress’s constitutional power over tariffs
- Standing up to do what’s right for the people they represent
Good leadership is needed right now to stop what I call the insanity and go back to what’s working.
–Jonathan Buford, Co-CEO of Arizona Wilderness Brewing