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Trump, China trade war: third tariff attacked by GOP, Democrats, business

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  • President Donald Trump announced tariffs on roughly
    $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will go into effect
    September 24.
  • The tariffs will hit a wide range of industrial and
    consumer goods.
  • The escalation of the US-China trade war drew criticism
    from Democrats, Republicans, and many business groups.
  • The complaints warned that the tariffs will ultimately
    hurt US consumers and businesses, due to cost-increases for key
    goods.

President Donald Trump’s
decision to impose tariffs
on another $200 billion worth of
Chinese goods drew a swift rebuke from lawmakers on both sides of
the aisle and business groups.

Trump announced Monday that the US Trade Representative would
begin to impose a 10% tariffs on Chinese goods ranging from

food to fabrics to industrial chemicals
. The tariffs will
increase to 25% on January 1, 2019, unless the US and China agree
on a trade deal.

The escalation of the US-China trade war was quickly criticized
by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers along with many
business groups. All of the critiques centered on economists
warnings that the
tariffs would ultimately harm
US business and consumers by

raising prices on imported goods
from China.

Additionally, concerns about China’s retaliatory action on US
agricultural goods popped up from farmers groups.

Here’s a rundown of the criticism from lawmakers, business
groups, and conservative interest groups:

  • Sen. Heidi Heitkamp
    (D-ND):
     “The reckless
    escalation of the administration’s trade war is having serious
    consequences for rural America, which is already suffering from
    the uncertainty and low commodity prices caused by the
    disruptions to our markets,” 
    Heitkamp said.
  • Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX, chair of the House Ways and
    Means
    committee): 
    “Any time tariffs are
    imposed I worry that Americans will be forced to pay extra
    costs – in this case on nearly half of US imports from China,”
    Brady said. “I continue to emphasize that the ultimate means to
    create an effective outcome is for President Trump and
    President Xi to engage constructively to develop a long-term
    and profound solution that levels the playing field for
    American manufacturers, farmers, and workers.”
  • National Retail Federation:Every time
    this trade war escalates, the risk to US consumers
    grows. 
    With these latest tariffs, many
    hardworking Americans will soon wonder why their shopping bills
    are higher and their budgets feel stretched,” Matthew Shay,
    president and CEO of the NRF, said.
  • National Associations of Manufacturers:
    “No one wins in a trade war, and manufacturing workers are
    hopeful the administration’s approach will quickly yield
    results. Now is the time for talks—not just tariffs—and
    manufacturers have laid out a blueprint to reset the US-China
    commercial relationship that will result in ending China’s
    unfair and anti-competitive behavior,” Jay Timmons, NAM’s
    president and CEO, said.
  • Consumer Technology
    Association:
     “Today’s
    retaliatory tariffs are not an effective trade policy
    and may violate US law. Congress has not given the president or
    the USTR a blank check to pursue a trade war,” Gary
    Shapiro, CTA’s president and CEO, said. “These new
    retaliatory tariffs run afoul of the carefully
    tailored provisions of the Trade Act of 1974, which require any
    action to be within the scope of the Section 301
    investigation. We urge the administration to reconsider
    its misguided approach of increasing tariffs, as they are
    directly paid for by American companies and consumers.”
  • Americans For Farmers & Families:
    As trade tensions escalate, and our ability to
    sell our goods to major markets diminishes, we’re having to
    make long-term business decisions that could affect our farms
    for generations,” Casey Guernsey, a
    seventh-generation farmer and spokesperson for AFF
    said.
     “Many family farmers are canceling new
    projects, selling their equipment and livestock, and even
    thinking about closing their operations entirely.”
  • Freedom Partners (conservative lobbying
    group):
    “These tariffs are ‘all pain, no
    gain’ for American businesses and workers. Countless American
    employers weighed in on this idea during the comment period and
    told the administration these tariffs would be
    job-killers. Unfortunately, their pleas have fallen on deaf
    ears,” Nathan Nascimento, Freedom Partners’ Executive
    Vice President, said.
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