House Panel to Assess Impacts Of Tariffs On Farmers, Consumers

House Republicans have scheduled a hearing next Wednesday afternoon to examine how farmers, consumers and businesses have been impacted by President Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on goods from China and other trading partners."Farmers, growers, and ranchers in my home state of Washington and around the country are significantly hurt because products that they are forced to import to stay competitive — such as agriculture equipment, chemicals, steel and aluminum — are now prohibitively expensive," House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert, R-Wash., said. "Adding insult to injury, these same farmers, growers, and ranchers are experiencing severe retaliation through prohibitive tariffs and other measures by their major customers, including China, Canada, Mexico and the EU."The session, Reichert said, "will provide an important opportunity to discuss both the direct and indirect negative effects of the US Section 232 and 301 tariffs on America’s farmers, as well as the retaliation they are now experiencing. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the effects on the rural communities that depend on a vibrant agriculture sector."Democrats earlier had called for a hearing by the full House Ways & Means Committee on the China trade situation.