[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 82 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Tariffs

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this morning, Donald Trump's trade war 
strikes again. Walmart announced today it plans to raise prices in 
stores across America because of Donald Trump's tariffs.
  Here is what Walmart will say on its earnings call:

       [G]iven the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced 
     levels announced this week, we aren't able to absorb all the 
     pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins.

  Walmart's raising prices is a canary in the coal mine for the 
devastation Trump's tariffs will have on Main Street. If a retailer as 
big as Walmart can't escape the pain of tariffs, what chance do small 
businesses have? Their customers are inevitably going to see prices 
rise.
  Walmart's announcement is a glaring reminder that even after 
supposedly backtracking on some of his tariffs, significant damage will 
not go away. The chaos he has unleashed is eating away at retailers, 
restaurants, small businesses, and middle-class families' wallets. It 
is still estimated that these tariffs will cost thousands of dollars 
for each family this year.
  Donald Trump's tariffs are nothing more than a tax hike on consumers. 
I am supporting legislation with Jamie Raskin to require large 
retailers to start displaying clearly to customers precisely how much 
tariffs are contributing to the total price of products.
  Americans deserve transparency. If Trump's tariffs are causing prices 
to go up, through no fault of the retailer, the American consumer ought 
to know it. Walmart should start displaying in their stores and online 
how much tariffs actually contribute to the price of their goods. So 
should all other retailers.
  America should know how much Trump's tariffs are hurting them. People 
understand it. People are beginning to understand it, but this display 
would hit it home every time they buy a good.
  It shows you how destructive and chaotic Donald Trump's trade war has 
been. He should backtrack--totally backtrack--before we enter a 
recession. Specific tariffs that deal with how China treats us, the 
Chinese Government, the Chinese economy treats us, that is fine, not 
this ``crazy, go after everybody, poorly put together, and constantly 
changing tariff'' regime.