[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 12, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S1684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Economy

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, my friend and colleague from Wyoming 
mentioned the New York Times this morning and reports, articles, on the 
economy, and so I took a quick look to see if I could find the column 
that he was referring to, though I couldn't find it, I did find this on 
page B2.
  Headline: ``Stocks Decline Further As Investors Struggle To Make 
Sense Of Trump's Latest Tariff Talk.''
  The article says:

       Markets whipsawed on Tuesday, as investors puzzled through 
     President Trump's commitment to tariffs, with stocks dropping 
     in early trading before recovering late in the day. The S&P 
     500 index fell 1.5 percent at its low point before recovering 
     some ground and ending the day 0.8 percent lower.

  Same page B2:

       Business confidence falls as uncertainty sets in. The 
     confidence level of small businesses dropped for a third 
     straight month in February wiping away much of the gains 
     notched in the aftermath of President Trump's election 
     victory.

  I don't think the Trump plan for this economy is all that clear, and 
it appears that the writers of the New York Times agree. Many of the 
people in the business community are puzzled. Some are alarmed by the 
tariff talk of this administration and the zigzagging approach to the 
economy.
  So I would say, at this moment the jury is still out and sending 
messages to the court that they are dubious about this policy at all.
  If the Presiding Officer has any question in his own mind, I suggest 
he starts with the farmers in his State and ask them what they think of 
this tariff policy. I have been meeting with them over the last several 
days, and they are very skeptical, to say the least.