US Chamber of Commerce Asks Trump Administration for Tariff Exclusion Process
U.S. small business importers need a tariff exclusion process to avoid "irreparable harm," the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a letter to the secretaries of commerce and the treasury and the U.S. trade representative.
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While emphasizing its support for the Trump administration's policy goals of reducing trade barriers, the Chamber worried that the negotiations to achieve them will take too long for American small businesses: "Even if it only takes weeks or months to reach agreements, many small businesses will suffer irreparable harm."
In the letter, the Chamber outlined three policy proposals that will alleviate the pressure on U.S. businesses: provide an automatic exclusion for any small business importer, provide an automatic exclusion for products that cannot be produced in the U.S., and create an exemption process for businesses that can prove tariffs will have a deleterious effect on U.S. employment.
Suzanne Clark, the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, said in a press release that she has heard from "historic" numbers of small businesses clamoring for relief. These businesses "simply can’t afford" to wait for potentially lengthy trade agreements to conclude, she said.