[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 161 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H9395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             TARIFF IMPACTS

  (Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, recently, I spent time listening to 
farmers, large manufacturers, and leaders of smaller companies in my 
district express their frustrations on how tariffs are affecting their 
bottom line.
  I visited a steel fabrication company, an architectural aluminum 
design company, and a brewery. Although these companies vary in 
product, they all shared one common fear: wondering what would be their 
fate in the presence of these ill-advised tariffs.
  I listened to farmers offer feedback on how they are affected. 
Agriculture is one of Missouri's top industries, bringing in about $88 
billion a year. Most farmers tell me that the recently announced USDA 
payments are helpful, but that, ultimately, in their words, ``we want 
trade, not aid.''
  I met with local chambers of commerce and business councils, and, for 
those I didn't even have a chance to visit, I created a survey on my 
website. What I learned is this: These tariffs are deeply damaging to 
these businesses in ways that those who promoted them perhaps never 
even contemplated.
  Hundreds of thousands of jobs may be in jeopardy because of these 
tariffs. For example, Harley-Davidson, a company that I was able to 
bring to Kansas City during my term as mayor, suddenly announced that 
they were closing the plant and moving overseas. They left nearly 1,000 
workers unemployed overnight. Now, just imagine, if you multiply that 
around the country, what kind of instability has been created.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that this administration will recognize that 
these tariffs are unstable to the community and then move to end this 
trade war today.

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