Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) — a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, which oversees tax and trade policy — released the following statement as Donald Trump’s new round of reciprocal tariffs takes effect:

“Trump’s dumb tariffs are nothing more than a tax on working families, raising prices on everything from groceries, clothes and shoes to cars and construction materials. He’s tearing apart the backbone of LA’s economy—our construction, ports, and hospitality and tourism industry—at a time of already soaring costs when we need to build more homes and recover from the devastating LA wildfires. We’re already seeing job losses in key American sectors due to his tariffs. There’s no strategy here—just chaos, higher costs, and economic uncertainty for working families. Mark my words: today’s the day the Trump Slump turned into the Trump Recession.”

BACKGROUND:

President Trump announced a new round of tariffs, including a baseline 10% tariff on almost all goods from nearly all countries with even higher tariffs for around 60 other countries. This follows a 25% hike on steel and aluminum, additional duties of up to 25% on imported automobiles and auto parts, along with a 25% tariff on certain goods from Canada and Mexico. Economists and small business leaders have warned these moves will increase costs on essential goods and strain industries already impacted by inflation. In Los Angeles, where communities are still rebuilding after recent wildfires, rising construction costs will worsen the housing crisis, while auto repair shops, tourism businesses, and local employers will face higher costs and slowed growth.