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We Pay the Tariffs: Taking our Case Directly to Congress
In September 2025, small businesses did more than share their concerns about tariffs — they showed up in Washington to be heard . We Pay the Tariffs organized a two-day Capitol Hill lobby day that brought more than 100 small business owners to Washington, D.C . Over the course of two days, participants met with over 150 congressional offices across both the House and Senate , representing communities and industries from across the country. These meetings were not symboli
We Pay the Tariffs
1 day ago
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Op-Ed's and Media Mentions
Republican NC Small Business Owner in The Carolina Journal: "Tariffs are taxing Main Street. NC families are paying the price."
READ: Matthew Cagle, a Republican who voted for President Trump, founder and president of Rig'Em Right Outdoors in Morehead City and member of We Pay the Tariffs, published a powerful op-ed in The Carolina Journal today highlighting the devastating impact of tariffs on North Carolina small businesses and families. Matthew Cagle grew up in Greenville, NC, attended Rose High School, and now runs Rig'Em Right Outdoors in Morehead City. He graduated from NC State with a degree
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 20
LISTEN: small business owner shares how Trump's tariffs affected sales.
LISTEN : Beth Benike, CEO of Busy Baby and We Pay the Tariffs coalition member, went on NPR's Morning Edition to discuss the impact of tariffs on her small business. She states: "We had the low revenue and things were quite difficult and debt was piling up. I had to let my brother go , and then I actually didn't pay myself for the whole summer. I went through my savings and I cashed in my retirement to keep the business afloat. "
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 7
WATCH: coalition member on impact of tariffs on small businesses.
WATCH : Jess Nepstad, CEO of Planetary Design and We Pay the Tariffs coalition member, spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper about the impact of tariffs on his small business.
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 5
READ: WPTT coalition member on tariff uncertainty.
Read : Oklahoma City manufacturer and We Pay the Tariffs coalition member Colt Westbrook explains how tariff uncertainty threatens small American manufacturers trying to keep jobs in the United States. “If tariffs rise to the levels currently being discussed, I estimate we could survive 12 to 18 months.” His op-ed in The Oklahoman lays out what unpredictable trade policy means for planning, hiring, and long-term survival for small manufacturers.
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 23, 2025
READ: WPTT coalition member on devastating impact of tariffs on US manufacturing.
Read: Julie Robbins, CEO of EarthQuaker Devices, spoke to The Guardian about the impacts tariffs are having on her ability to manufacture her product in the United States. EarthQuaker Devices manufactures made-from-scratch guitar pedals in Akron, Ohio, using more than 1,000 components imported from countries such as China and Vietnam. Robbins explains: "The tariffs are adding up to 30% to our costs. I would have at least a couple of new positions open now if it weren’t for
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 17, 2025
READ: WPTT coalition members on tariff impacts on holiday shopping.
Read: Jared Hendricks, CEO of Village Lighting, a holiday decorations company based in Utah, was featured in a Politico article about the impacts of tariffs on holiday shopping . Hendricks was quoted saying: "At this point, we’ve really switched from working for profits to working for tariffs. "
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 8, 2025
READ: Chicago-based WPTT coalition members speak out on tariff harms.
Read: Amanda Kezios and other Chicago-based We Pay the Tariffs coalition members were featured in the Chicago Sun Times , emphasizing the negative impact of tariffs on their businesses. Kezios states that in her company's 25 years, this is one of the most difficult times, aside from the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009. Mojo Spa at 1468 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park- Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 3, 2025
WATCH: WPTT coalition members speak to NBC about the impact of tariffs on their businesses.
WATCH : We Pay the Tariffs coalition members Jared and Dawnita Hendricks, owners of Village Lighting, spoke with NBC about how tariffs are threatening the survival of their business.
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 2, 2025
WATCH: Joann Cartiglia from The Queen's Treasures joins ABC News Live.
WATCH: We Pay the Tariffs coalition member, Joann Cartiglia, from The Queen's Treasures in Ticonderoga, New York, joins ABC News Live to explain how the cost of tariffs could impact your holiday shopping budget.
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 1, 2025
NY Times Profiles We Pay the Tariffs Action to Rally Small Businesses on SCOTUS Tariffs Case
The New York Times today profiled the We Pay the Tariffs effort to amplify the voices of small businesses in opposition to the tariffs ahead of the momentous Supreme Court case on IEPPA tariffs. The story profiles We Pay the Tariffs coalition members as they describe lost revenue, rising prices, and slowed growth. We Pay the Tariffs, a coalition of over 700 small businesses, filed an amicus curiae brief that includes sworn testimonials from small business members in every
We Pay the Tariffs
Nov 4, 2025
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