Retailers call on House to hit pause button on new Russian tariff authorization
The Retail Industry Leaders Association has urged lawmakers in the House to narrow tariff provisions in the Russian sanctions bill.
It hopes that hitting pause on some of the authorizations could avoid some unintended consumer cost increases while advancing national security goals.
As part of a statement issued ahead of the pending House vote on tariff-authorizing legislation, RILA explained that retailers as part of the organisation support strong, targeted sanctions against Russia to help end its war against Ukraine and hold accountable those financing Russia’s aggression.
However, it stressed that as lawmakers consider sanction legislation, they should ensure the bill advances that important goal without creating unintended consequences for American consumers.
Ellen Jackson, director government affairs at RILA, said: “While retailers believe sanctions against Russia are an important priority for Congress, we remain concerned that the expanded tariff authority in the bill could lead to new tariffs that unintentionally raise costs for American consumers.
“The goal is to stop the flow of revenue fueling the war against Ukraine, and that can be achieved without authorizing broad new tariffs on imports from countries that are allies in the effort.”
The statement went on to explain that the House has already advanced bipartisan sanctions legislation targeting Russia that doesn’t include the secondary tariff authority.
It detailed that as the Senate bill is currently written, if countries reduce their consumption of Russian energy but remain among the largest buyers, the bill does not provide a clear way to recognize that progress or remove the threat of tariffs.
Concluding that without a workable off-ramp or review mechanism, the proposal risks creating costs for American consumers without effectively rewarding the behavior Congress is seeking to encourage.
Jackson continued: “Lawmakers should eliminate the risk of unintended consumer cost increases by removing the secondary tariff provisions or substantially narrowing them before moving forward. Congress can sanction Russia without adding new price pressures on American families.”
RILA urges House lawmakers to continue examining the legislation’s unintended consequences and work with stakeholders to ensure any final bill is targeted, effective, and does not unnecessarily raise costs for consumers.
