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Just in time for back to school shopping, the Trump Administration announced another round of tariff increases on $300 billion worth of Chinese exports—including pens, pencils, classroom instructional tools, children’s shoes, and cellphones—further escalating the U.S.-China trade war.

“Tariffs are taxes on Wisconsin’s farmers, workers, and families, and that’s exactly who is going to feel it after this escalation. Moms and dads who are just trying to make sure their kids have everything they need for the new school year are the ones who are going to be forced to pay the price for yet another round of reckless tariff hikes,” said Rep. Ron Kind. “China is already refusing buy our agriculture products, unilateral tariffs are not going to make China more willing to come to the table. We need to stop using Wisconsin families as pawns and get serious about working with our trade allies to hold China accountable.”

Since the Administration’s trade war began in March of 2018, Wisconsin taxpayers have paid $385 million in additional tariffs.

Rep. Kind serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means. The committee is the most powerful - and the oldest - committee in the House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over trade and tariff laws, as well as many other economic growth measures.

Earlier this year, Rep. Kind has introduced legislation to reassert Congress’s Constitutionally-granted trade authorities, and to establish a process that allows U.S. companies to request an exclusion from the tariffs imposed on Chinese imports