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New Bill Aims to Protect Small Businesses from Food Tariffs

9/23/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) introduced the No Tariffs on Groceries Act.
It would require congressional approval for new food tariffs and maintain existing tariff-rate quotas.
Senate Democrats proposed a bill to exempt small businesses from future tariffs and refund past payments.
About 240,000 small businesses paid roughly $90,000 more in tariffs.
The Supreme Court will hear a case on tariff legality in November.

History

Historical Context

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 raised U.S. tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods, exacerbating the Great Depression and prompting retaliatory tariffs from other nations. Today, Rep. Haley Stevens' No Tariffs on Groceries Act seeks to prevent new food tariffs, reflecting ongoing concerns for small businesses, which collectively faced approximately $90,000 in tariffs, highlighting the complexities of trade policy.

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Story summary

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) introduced the No Tariffs on Groceries Act.
It would require congressional approval for new food tariffs and maintain existing tariff-rate quotas.
Senate Democrats proposed a bill to exempt small businesses from future tariffs and refund past payments.
About 240,000 small businesses paid roughly $90,000 more in tariffs.
The Supreme Court will hear a case on tariff legality in November.

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