1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the current tariff policy that is imposing significant financial hardship on families in our district. According to a new report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, President Trump's tariffs cost the average American household approximately $1,000 in 2025, with projections showing this burden will increase to $1,300 per household in 2026 if these tariffs remain in place. The Tax Foundation characterizes these tariffs as the largest U.S. tax increase as a percent of GDP since 1993. The federal government collected $264 billion in total tariff revenues in 2025, yet this revenue falls dramatically short of offsetting the economic damage to working families. More troubling, the research finds that these tariffs will eliminate most of the economic benefits from the tax cuts included in the 2025 tax law, essentially taking with one hand what was given with the other. The real-world impact is evident in grocery store aisles and household budgets. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows coffee prices rose 33.6%, ground beef increased 19.3%, romaine lettuce climbed 16.8%, and frozen orange juice jumped 12.4%. These are staple items that families cannot simply stop purchasing. The average effective tariff rate has surged from around 2% in 2024 to roughly 10% in 2025, the highest rate since 1946. Families in our community are already struggling with persistently high costs of living. Adding an additional $1,000 to $1,300 annual burden through tariffs on electronics, toys, cars, and food is unsustainable. This policy disproportionately harms middle and lower income households who spend a larger percentage of their income on these essential goods. I respectfully request that you actively work to eliminate these tariffs and advocate for trade policies that do not function as a regressive tax on American consumers. Our constituents deserve relief from this unnecessary financial burden.