Markey: “This isn’t short-term pain. This is a small business death sentence.”

(Washington, May 21) - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today stood alongside small business owners at a press conference to slam the impact of Trump’s reckless tariffs on small businesses. Prior to the press conference, Republicans blocked Markey’s bill, the Small Business Liberation Act, legislation that would exempt America’s more than 34 million small businesses from Trump’s reckless tariffs, including the reciprocal tariffs set to return in July after the 90-day pause. 

“Today, our Republican colleagues blocked our efforts to provide real relief to small businesses, doubling down on President Trump’s reckless and destructive policies for Main Street,” said Ranking Member Markey. “What Republicans and President Trump don’t get is that these tariffs are devastating to small businesses and that many will be forced to close permanently as a result. This isn’t short-term pain. This is a small business death sentence. I hope my Republican colleagues will heed the call of their constituents and stand with Democrats to protect small businesses from the Trump’s devastating tariffs.” 

Markey was joined at the press conference by several small business owners who emphasized the harm Trump’s tariffs are causing Main Street. 

“I am here today because President Trump’s tariff-induced economic chaos has put my business in a precarious financial position. Other countries do not pay tariffs on goods imported into America. American businesses pay them. I pay them. When my products come to port from Bangladesh in September, I will be handed a bill from the United States government for 37% of their cost,” said Eva St. Clair, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Princess Awesome. “We don’t have venture capital, publicly traded stock options, or the escape hatch of bankruptcy to insulate ourselves from shocks to our markets, like big corporations do. The Senate could have taken an important step today to protect millions of small businesses from the devastating impacts of President Trump’s tariffs by passing the Small Business Liberation Act, but it failed. And so I too face failure, along with all the other small businesses my business supports.” 

"The majority of suppliers in the toy and hobby industry are small and mid-sized businesses, sourcing products from all over the world in addition to the United States,” said Mike Brey, President of Brey Corp and Hobby Works. “These broad tariffs -- applied suddenly and with little thought for their effect on small businesses -- are causing harm right now. The uncertainty that surrounds the levying of these tariffs is creating havoc for an industry with near year-long lead times that are needed to prepare for the holiday rush. Given these concerns, I'm deeply disappointed that the Senate was unable to pass the Small Business Liberation Act, which would protect my small business and millions of others from damaging tariffs." 

“There is no large-scale commercial tea farming here to support the hundreds of tea shops like mine across the country. And establishing tea plants takes years—there is no quick or local alternative,” said Rachel Rozner, Owner of Elden Street Tea. “Because of tariffs, my suppliers are holding back shipments or raising prices so high it’s unsustainable. I’m now at risk of running out of core products. If I can’t sell tea, I can’t pay rent. I can’t keep my staff. I can’t stay open. After everything small businesses like mine endured during the pandemic, it’s frustrating to face yet another threat—this one caused by trade policy, not public health.” 

“My business has invested around $10,000 in research and development to bring manufacturing to the US in the past year but the reality is it takes time and effort to onshore. President Trump has not given entrepreneurs like me the predictability and time to make adjustments,” said Kim Meckwood, Owner of Click & Carry. “Instead of having a strategy based on supporting businesses like mine to onshore, he's thrown Main Street into chaos. I cannot make decisions based on 90-day delays and trade policy by tweet. Let's end these tariffs so businesses like mine can focus on what we do best instead of worrying about what may come next." 

“Thank you, Senator Markey and Senate Democrats, for fighting for Main Street,” said Richard Trent, Executive Director of Main Street Alliance. “Had the Trump Administration taken five minutes to connect with small business owners earlier this year, it would have discovered how disastrous his tariff policies would be. Congressional Republicans must end this chaos and allow for passage of the Small Business Liberation Act, providing relief to the millions of small business owners across this country who haven't been this scared since COVID." 

“We strongly urge the U.S. Senate to pass legislation that would protect small businesses from widespread tariffs. Our research found that 53% of small businesses are concerned about tariffs negatively impacting their business and 77% are concerned about tariffs negatively impacting the U.S. economy as a whole,” said John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. “Tariffs should not be imposed without regard for their impact, and we fear that without immediate congressional intervention the administration's tariffs would likely devastate countless small businesses. Congress must do its job and protect small businesses from harmful policies when it can, including voting to nip a costly trade war in the bud before irreversible damage is done to millions of small firms.” 

Markey is a leading voice in support of small businesses in the wake of Trump’s reckless tariff policies.  

• Last week, Markey hosted a press conference at Henry Bear’s Park Toy Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to denounce the harm of Trump’s tariff games on local toy stores and the uncertainty that is paralyzing small businesses.   

• During National Small Business Week, Markey introduced the Small Business Liberation Act, legislation that would exempt small businesses from the broad, global tariffs imposed as a result of the national emergency declared on April 2 by President Trump. He also hosted a virtual listening session with small business owners in Massachusetts and small business owners who serve the Commonwealth on the devastating impacts the Trump Tariffs are having on them. 

• Markey recently wrote to Small Business Administrator Loeffler, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, calling on the Trump administration to exempt U.S. small businesses from Trump’s reckless tariffs, and afford small businesses the same relief the Administration is giving billion-dollar tech giants such as Apple and Google. 

• Previously, Markey, along with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and all Democrats on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee wrote to Administrator Loeffler, urging her to take immediate action to address the impacts of Trump’s reckless tariff policies on small businesses. 

• In April 2025, Ranking Member Markey released a report, “The Trump Tariffs: A Small Business Crisis,” which details the disastrous impacts of Trump’s tariff policies on small businesses across the country.