Congressman Chris Collins is backing President Trump's decision to impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports. The levies will take effect in about two weeks.
Collins says, other countries block access to their consumers and put tariffs on U.S. products. And, he says, after many years of talking about free trade Americans have ended up with something that is not fare trade.
"It costs this area thousands upon thousands of jobs, in Western New York for sure. And our president promised to put America first, make it in America. And tariffs will be apart of it." But Collins, a Clarence Republican says, tariffs could be put on hold with Canada and Mexico until the North American Free Trade Agreement is renegotiated.
In the meantime, Collins says if prices go up and as a result more jobs are created in the nation's steel and aluminum industries, it will be a level playing field.
"If everyone's paying the same price whether it's auto companies or otherwise you've got a level playing field and prices may go up two or three percent I've heard. Well, I for one, think part of the problem with our debt in this country today is that we have not had inflation." Collins said, modest inflation of two to 3 percent will help the next generation pay off the nation's debt with cheaper dollars. And help people earn interest on their savings.
