On Friday, USFIA filed comments on advancing inclusive, worker-centered trade policy in response to USTR’s request for comments in the Federal Register. Those comments highlighted how high tariffs on basic household necessities, like clothing, are a regressive tax that disadvantages the lower income members of society, like entry-level workers.
“We ask the Biden Administration to include as one element of an updated trade policy an objective to support U.S. workers and underserved communities by eliminating the old school, traditional trade policy of maintaining high tariffs on basic household necessities. These tariffs do little to foster domestic employment and most importantly constitute a regressive tax on struggling Americans. Doing so would go a long ways towards a new trade policy that is inclusive and worker-centered and that doesn’t simply serve narrow special interests.”