(Boston, May 29) - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), lead Democrat on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Court of International Trade’s ruling that President Trump’s broad use of emergency powers to impose widespread tariffs exceeded his legal authority.

“Trump has been playing games with small businesses and our economy long enough. Trump’s tariffs cost Main Street businesses billions of dollars, raising costs and putting jobs at risk. Small businesses fought back, challenging the President’s illegal abuse of authority and winning a unanimous decision in the U.S. Court of International Trade.

“For small businesses trying to plan for the future, and business owners sustaining their and their workers’ livelihoods, this decision provides much needed hope. Small businesses have experienced enough short-term pain with no clear long-term gain. Trump has already turned Main Streets across the country into Pain Streets, and mom and pop shops - not big box retailers - are paying the price. It was never Liberation Day for small businesses - it was Obliteration Day.

“The Trump administration’s assault on small businesses is not over yet. Rather than wait for an appeals process to play out, Congress should end the President’s abuse of emergency authority to unilaterally impose tariffs and give America’s more than 34 million small businesses the certainty they need to compete, grow, and thrive.”

Last week, Senate Republicans objected to legislation offered by Senator Markey, the Small Business Liberation Act, that would have exempted small businesses from Trump’s tariffs and provided them with relief so they could operate their businesses with certainty.