Gillibrand Talks Trade War Issues

This morning during a Zoom media call with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the senator talked about trade issues between the U.S. and China as well as the U.S. and Canada. “Last month the president initiated a reckless trade war with China,” Gillibrand said. “He imposed a 50 percent tariff on a host of Canadian goods including agriculture and food products, construction materials, clothing and furniture. Canada then retaliated – levying their own 50 percent tariffs on American imports. Next week, President Trump is poised to escalate once again: a total ban on certain Canadian dairy products, beverages and other products, set to go into effect on September 29. Prices are already skyrocketing for groceries, gasoline, electricity, housing and other every day essentials, because of Trump’s tariffs and reckless foreign policy. Heating oil is costing New Yorkers $6.27 a gallon as our temperatures drop 70 percent more than they did last year. Things will only get worse the longer this continues. We have to stop it. New York State is particularly vunerable because of our close ties with our northern neighbor. Over half of this state’s export food and agriculture products head north. Upstate farmers rely on Canadian potash to fertilize their fields. Breweries from Western New York to Long Island use barley, malted in Canada for their award winning beers and Canadian electricity helps heat homes and businesses. President Trump’s increased tariffs have increased costs for all of this and New York families are stuck with the bill. An independent study found that 96 percent of the costs of President Trump’s tariffs have been paid by American businesses and consumers. In total, New York State families have spent $5,500 more for goods and services due to rising costs under President Trump. That’s money that should have been available to help New Yorkers put food on the table, pay their rent and heat their homes.”