Trump Administration

Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, 2 weeks. It has been 2 weeks with the new President. The inauguration seems so far in the distant past. It is hard to believe. What this administration has tried to do during the first 2 weeks is almost impossible to describe in a very short period of time--so many Executive orders, so many changes, so many speeches by the President, so many threats, so many changes in the way this government is run--and many of them raising serious questions that even go to the heart of the Constitution.

Since President Trump took office 2 weeks ago, he has sown chaos across the Federal Government, but despite his campaign promises, something has been conspicuously absent from his agenda: lowering the cost of living for Americans. The unprecedented, economically questionable tariffs he announced on Friday on three of America's largest trading partners--25 percent on Canada and Mexico and 10 percent more on China--show just that.

I said to my staff, when they handed me a copy of this speech which was written this morning, that there have been some developments during the course of the day when it comes to Mexico--at least a postponement of the imposition of tariffs on Mexico for a month. Canada is still a work in progress, as far as we know. Despite campaigning on a promise of lowering prices, these tariffs will not do that. They will do just the opposite. American families will find things more expensive.

Don't take my word for it. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said that tariffs will ``only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains.'' That is the Chamber of Commerce.

The National Association of Manufacturers said:

Ultimately, manufacturers will bear the brunt of these tariffs, undermining our ability to sell our products at a competitive price and putting American jobs at risk.

The President himself even admitted that these economic measures will cause pain for many American families.

Trade between my home State of Illinois and Canada and Mexico are essential to the strength of our economy. More than 1 out of 10 workers in Illinois works for the export market. Illinois is the fourth largest exporter State in the Nation. And what are our first and second largest export markets? Canada and Mexico.

As a result of these tariffs the President is proposing, working families will feel the pain. These tariffs will drive up costs for manufacturers; it will disrupt our supply chain; and they have already inspired retaliatory tariffs which American consumers will feel at the store. Clearly, our outrage at this senseless policy may be working. Today, the President announced he will delay the tariffs with Mexico for a month. I am glad to hear that.

Let's be clear about one thing: Unless you are a tech billionaire or you are helping someone to get rich through the crypto market, the President does not care about making your life better. He only cares about enriching himself at the expense of everyday Americans. So, when you wonder why the stock market is dipping and the price of eggs and potatoes goes up at the grocery store and when your oil change is marked up, know that it was because of the policy of the new President who has been in office for 2 weeks.

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