Paul Ryan: Congress will no raise import tariffs

The Speaker of the House puts forth a policy at odds with that proposed by Trump.

Speaker Paul D. Ryan, in a break from President-elect Donald Trump, said Wednesday that Congress is not going to increase taxes on imports and exports through tariffs.

“We’re not going to be raising tariffs,” Ryan said on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.”

Trump has called for a “big border tax” on companies that leave the United States but continue to sell their goods here.
In a December 4 tweet, Trump referenced his plan for “a tax on our soon to be strong border of 35%” for companies that leaves the United States or builds a new factory or plant overseas. The president-elect’s team has reportedly been mulling a 5 percent to 10 percent tariff.

Ryan said “the secret” to getting businesses to stay in the country is to level the playing field on taxes, lowering taxes for businesses, not increasing them.

“The speaker is against tariffs,” Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said.