Press Releases

Washington, DC – Today, the House Democratic Steering & Policy Co-Chairs, Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Nanette Barragán (CA-44), led a hearing on the impacts of the Trump Administration policies and tariffs. The committee heard from small business owners on how Republican schemes raise their costs and make it difficult to budget, plan or make ends meet due to rampant federal instability, cutbacks and tariff threats.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar attended the hearing and said Democrats would marshal legislative, legal and community opposition to Republican policies that stifle Main Street merchants and strangle smaller entrepreneurs.

"Donald Trump and Republicans, who continue in this Congress to rubber stamp his extreme agenda, are crashing the economy in real time, driving us toward a recession. Why? So that they can provide tax breaks for their billionaire donors like Elon Musk, instead of supporting small businesses,” said Leader Jeffries. “They are knowingly inflicting economic pain on hard-working entrepreneurs and small business owners. It's unconscionable, unacceptable, and un-American. House Democrats will not quietly stand by while working families, entrepreneurs, middle-class folks, small business owners and everyday Americans are being forced to suffer at the hands of the extreme policies that are being unleashed on the American people. We will continue to push back publicly and aggressively."

“Small business owners and entrepreneurs keep America’s economy thriving and make life better for their customers and workers,” said Wasserman Schultz. “But Trump’s extreme economic policies have created a chaotic, confusing landscape for small businesses, with huge price hikes and a horizon filled with uncertainty, higher costs and recessionary fears.”

"Small businesses create good jobs and drive innovation — they are they backbone of local economies," said Kelly. "We heard directly from small business owners who are telling President Trump that his short-sighted tariffs have raised costs and created uncertainty.  Simply put, Americans — small business owners, workers, and consumers alike — will pay the cost of President Trump's trade war at the check-out counter."

"Small businesses are essential to our economy — they power our communities, create jobs, and make the American Dream possible. But Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs are punishing the very people who keep our economy running. They’re forcing small business owners across the country to make impossible choices — raise prices or shut their doors,” said Rep. Barragán. "When prices go up, working families pay the price. These destructive Republican economic policies do nothing to strengthen our economy, they only lead to job losses and businesses closing their doors." 

This year, the Steering & Policy Committee has held hearings on Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security and Veterans. Each one shared personal stories of how everyday Americans are being harmed by this administration. To continue to collect and share more of their stories, the Steering & Policy Committee will execute a series of events across the nation in the months ahead to reach the American people where they live and hear from them directly. 

The full video of today’s hearing can be found here.

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