Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), the Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee and a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, issued the following statement today after President Trump imposed massive new tariffs on Canada:

“Trump’s trade war with Canada is doing lasting damage to one of our oldest and most important strategic alliances. It may take years to fix what Trump is breaking if it can be fixed at all, especially with his Cabinet members adding to his moronic ‘51st state’ references by giving brainless, ill-informed public commentary needlessly insulting the Canadians. In the meantime, Americans will see much higher prices on goods from our second largest trading partner. The stupidity of Trump’s tariffs and trade policies truly boggles the mind, and it is getting worse.”

Rep. Don Beyer serves as Senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, chairs the New Democrat Coalition’s Trade Task Force, and serves on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee.

Beyer is the sponsor of the Congressional Trade Authority Act, which would rein in presidential abuses of authorities under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. He is the co-lead, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, of legislation to end abuses of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff authorities, and an original cosponsor of the Repealing Outdated and Unilateral Tariff Authorities Act, which would repeal Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930; the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, which would strike Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a law that currently allows the President to impose sweeping 15% tariffs on all imports under a “balance of payments” crisis; and the Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act, which would halt President Trump’s trade wars, repeal tariffs, and reclaim Congress’ lawful authority over tariffs.