{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1981", "Citing Tariffs, Lawmakers Express Concern Over Consumer Technology Prices", "2018-06-01", "2018", "2018-06", "Republican", "House", "MN", "Erik Paulsen", "P000594", "paulsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) are leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers this week to voice concerns over the impact of proposed tariffs on consumer electronic prices paid by U.S. consumers. In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the lawmakers cite their concerns that the Administration's tariff proposal would hike prices on a range of consumer technology products. The letter was signed by 34 members of both parties.\r\n\r\n\tIt has been widely reported that actual or potential tariffs are already causing pain for U.S. agricultural exports, including pork, soybeans, corn and beef. Furthermore, we are equally worried that the imposition of these tariffs on everyday consumer products would amount to a de facto tax increase that disproportionately affects middle class and low-income American consumers,the lawmakers wrote.\r\n\r\n\tThe lawmakers cited specific products that may cost more for U.S. consumers as a result of the tariffs.\r\n\r\n\tAccording to a recent study done for the Consumer Technology Association and the National Retail Federation, increasing current U.S. tariffs on televisions by 25% would cost U.S. consumers $711 million in the first year alone; for ink and cartridges, U.S. consumers would pay an additional $529 million; and costs would also significantly increase for U.S. consumers of computer monitors (by $172 million) and batteries (by $24 million).\r\n\r\n\tWe believe you have many tools at your disposal to achieve our shared objections. In particular, we urge you to work as closely as possible with our allies who share our concerns about China's unfair trade practices, and have begun to address these practices more directly thanks to U.S. leadership. We should avoid creating disincentives for our allies to join us in taking strong action, which higher tariffs could do. The most effective approach is for the international, not the United States alone, to stand up to China's unfair trade practices,the lawmakers concluded.\r\n\r\n\tA signed copy of theletter is available here. The full text is available below.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tMay 30, 2018\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe Honorable Robert E. Lighthizer\r\n\r\n\tUnited States Trade Representative\r\n\r\n\tOffice of the United States Trade Representative\r\n\r\n\t600 17th Street NW\r\n\r\n\tWashington, DC 20508\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tDear Ambassador Lighthizer: We appreciate your commitment to addressing unfair trade practices by the Government of China, however we urge you to do everything possible to address these problems without closing markets, imposing tariffs, or enacting other government regulations that, might harm large numbers of U.S. workers, consumers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tIt is clear that China's policies regarding intellectual property and forced technology transfers have been a source of grave concern for many years, and it is time for a strong response from the United States. \r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe challenge, of course, is how best to engage with China in order to secure desired changes in the policies. We do not believe that the current cycle of threatened tariffs between the United States and China will secure optimal results, and are concerned that there will be significant unintended adverse consequences to the United States. Indeed, even themere threat of tariffs can diminish U.S. economic growth, competitiveness, and exports. \r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tWe appreciated your March 21st comments before the House Ways & Means Committee assuring that the Administration's approach under Section 301 would be to maximize the pain on China and minimize the pain on U.S. consumers. However, we are already hearing from our constituents that they could be facing higher costs, reduced production, disruptions in supply chains and lost sales. \r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tIt has been widely reported that actual or potential increased tariffs are already causing pain for U.S. agricultural exports, includingpork, soybeans, corn and beef. Furthermore, we are equally worried that the imposition of these tariffs on everyday consumer products wound amount to a de facto tax increase that disproportionately affects middle class and low-income American consumers. \r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tAccording to a recent study done for the Consumer Technology Association and the National Retail Federation, increasing current U.S. tariffs on televisions by 25% would cost U.S. consumers $711 million in the first year alone; for ink and cartridges, U.S. consumers would pay an additional $529 million; and costs would also significantly increase for U.S. consumers of computer monitors (by $172 million) and batteries (by $24 million). \r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tWe believe you have many tools at your disposal to achieve our shared objectives. In particular, we urge you to workas closely as possible with our allies who share our concerns about China's unfair trade practices, and have begun to address these practices more directly thanks to US leadership. We should avoid creating disincentives for our allies to join us in taking strong action, which higher tariffs could do. The most effective approach is for the international community, and not the United States alone, to stand up to China's unfair trade practices.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tSincerely,\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tErik Paulsen Suzan DelBene\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tBarbara Comstock David Schweikert\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ ____________________\r\n\r\n\tMike Bishop Lynn Jenkins, CPA\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tDarin LaHood Tom Emmer\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tAndy Biggs Ryan A. Costello\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tMike Coffman Rod Blum\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tAnna G. Eshoo Dave Reichert\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress  Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tJackie Walorski Mimi Walters\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tAdrian Smith Ann Wagner\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tRoger W. Marshall, M.D. Karen Handel\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tDerek Kilmer Vern Buchanan\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tGregory W. Meeks James A. Himes\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tScott Peters Carlos Curbelo\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tRon Kind Peter J. Roskam\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tCathy McMorris Rodgers Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ _____________________\r\n\r\n\tRon Estes Ami Bera\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t_____________________ ____________________\r\n\r\n\tLeonard Lance Fred Upton\r\n\r\n\tMember of Congress Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1981"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2684529647231102, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}