Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:
“I am glad that the Supreme Court has taken action to strike down President Trump's tariffs and lower prices for Americans since Republican leadership in Congress refused to do so. I will continue to lead legislative efforts to end pointless tariffs and bring down the cost of groceries, energy and health care.
“Trump's tariffs have kept grocery prices stickily high and caused real pain for Northwest Washington families and businesses, more so than in other parts of the country because of our close economic ties with British Columbia. American families and businesses are paying 90 percent of the economic burden of these tariffs, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Trump’s tariffs are reckless and stupid, and today’s Supreme Court ruling confirms they are also unconstitutional.
“The people I represent need relief from the President’s failing economic policies, and I will keep working to create jobs and lower costs in our communities.”
Today, the United States Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports from nearly every U.S. trading partner in a 6-3 decision. Rep. Larsen supported an amicus brief in this case led by House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, which argued that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is not a tariff statute and that Congress did not intend or provide for the IEEPA to be used as a tariff statute.
Larsen Fights Against Tariffs
Rep. Larsen is a member of the New Democrat Coalition Trade and Tariffs Task Force and has been a leader in opposing the Trump administration’s tariffs. Last week, the House of Representatives voted on a resolution that Larsen cosponsored to terminate President Trump’s abuse of “emergency” authorities to impose sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada. The resolution passed the House 219-211 with bipartisan support.
Last July, Larsen released a statement on how President Trump’s trade war is harming Northwest Washington businesses and tourism. In September, Larsen advocated for provisions in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would study the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs on military readiness and small businesses essential to the defense industrial base after he heard from companies that had to move work out of the U.S. because of uncertainty over tariffs.
Larsen has consistently pushed back against President Trump’s trade war with Canada and inflammatory statements against Canadian sovereignty. In March, he co-led resolutions that would end President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico after the Trump administration placed a 25% tariff on imports from both countries. In April, he co-led a resolution to end Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs and abuse of emergency authorities to impose tariffs. After the Senate failed to strike down tariffs on Canada in October, he released a statement slamming President Trump’s pointless trade war and how his tariffs have driven up costs for people in Northwest Washington.
