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Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, since taking office 72 days ago, the Trump administration has created chaos in our economy. The President, if you will remember, campaigned on lowering prices for American families. Unfortunately, his policies and actions have done the opposite.

Many families are worse off today than when he was sworn in. In February, egg prices, which has become a political standard bearer, hit a new alltime high in the United States. Just last week, a typical U.S. homeowner's monthly mortgage payment also reached an alltime high. And now Donald Trump's ill-conceived, foolish trade war with one of our top allies is the latest example of this continued pain for Americans' wallets.

On February 1, the President announced he was imposing a 10-percent tariff on energy imports from Canada as well as a 25-percent tariff on all other goods. Unsurprisingly, Canada answered and announced retaliatory tariffs. Just like that, a trade war with our second largest trading partner and closest ally is underway.

So how did the President justify such an unprecedented, counterproductive, and harmful move? He cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare an emergency at our northern border, stating that fentanyl and undocumented migration constituted a national emergency in our relationship with Canada that justified the use of tariffs.

The only problem: The justification just doesn't hold water. This International Emergency Economic Powers Act is intended for use in extraordinary cases related to foreign threats, such as placing sanctions on dictators. Trump's Executive order declared a so-called emergency at our Canadian border and tied it to Canada's failure to prevent illicit drugs from being trafficked across the border, but Canada is openly willing to address this shared challenge and has cooperated with the United States.

Let me be clear. Preventing the trafficking of fentanyl is a bipartisan priority. The fact remains that less than 1 percent of fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada--less than 1 percent--and Canada made it clear long ago they are willing to work with us to reduce that amount.

The President's use of IEEPA to attempt to justify these tariffs is a shoddy excuse to ram through an unpopular agenda and bully yet another close ally of the United States.

The President is manufacturing a fake emergency as a guise to enact billions of dollars in taxes on American consumers to fund massive tax cuts for his billionaire buddies. That is unacceptable.

The consequences of this trade war will be painful and avoidable. Everyday Americans will feel it. If fully enacted, Trump's trade war will cause price hikes on nearly all basic goods. A new mother buying formula for her baby, parents buying groceries, a young person saving up for a car--every American is going to feel it. This tariff policy of President Trump's is going to be painful for American families.

The impact on farmers, workers, consumers, and businesses across my State of Illinois, sadly, is going to be devastating. Canada is Illinois's largest export market. Illinois exports to Canada totaled $20 billion in 2023. Illinois ranks fifth among 50 U.S. States in exports to Canada and first in imports. States across the Nation are going to feel a similar impact.

So it is no surprise that the vast majority of Americans cannot understand what the President is trying to do when it comes to our relationship with a good friend, a trusted ally, and historic partner, Canada.

President Trump recently said he ``couldn't care less'' if carmakers hike prices in response to tariffs--``couldn't care less.'' He is pushing forward with his plan that economists, experts, and even the White House itself admits is going to be painful for American families.

The last election was all about the cost of living. This is going to raise the cost of living for families across the United States, this tariff war. How does unnecessarily tanking our economy, alienating our allies, and taking money out of the wallets of Americans make us great again?

Right now, we should be focused on commonsense ways to lower prices and fight inflation. We should be taking genuine steps to slow the flow of fentanyl across our borders, which Canada has made it clear they want to cooperate with us in achieving. We should be working with and not fighting against our closest allies like Canada. These tariffs do none of that.

That is why I am supporting Senator Tim Kaine's resolution to block the President's abuse of emergency powers. I know Senate Democrats will stand up for American consumers. Can a few Republican colleagues join us or will they continue to let Donald Trump and Elon Musk enrich billionaires at the expense of hard-working American families?

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