U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are already having a negative effect on New Yorkers.
She said business owners from breweries to farmers depend on Canadian imports, and the tension between the U.S. and Canada is having a negative effect on tourism.
“Usually, school groups would plan to come to the North Country or to come to Buffalo. Those trips have been canceled,” said Gillibrand. “Tournaments for every sport from hockey to golf canceled their tournaments that were being held in the North Country and Buffalo. It’s been very devastating.”
Now, Gillibrand said she’s even more concerned, since over the weekend, President Trump threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on Canadian goods if the country struck a trade deal with China. She’s calling on the president to stop his tariff threats.
“We have a president who shows New Yorkers every day that he would rather make reckless threats and alienate allies than bring down costs for hardworking Americans,” she said.
Gillibrand is also questioning the legality of the tariffs, saying according to the Constitution, Congress is supposed to hold the power of the purse. And she sent a legal brief to the Supreme Court with more than 200 members of Congress.
