top of page
%20II%20(1).png)
Our Stories
.png)
Featured Story
Valentine's Day Tariffs: The Only Thing Getting Crushed This Year Are American Small Businesses
Small jewelry and chocolate businesses face devastating cost increases; Popular Valentine's Day gifts faced over $3 billion in extra tariffs in just 9 months FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 12, 2026 – As Americans prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day, small businesses that supply the holiday’s most iconic gifts, including jewelry and chocolate, are warning that tariffs are forcing them to raise prices or risk closing their doors. We Pay the Tariffs, a grassr
We Pay the Tariffs
2 days ago
Search
WPTT News
Statement On Reports of Steel and Aluminum Tariff Rollbacks
Contact: press@wepaythetariffs.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 13, 2026 – Following reports that the Administration plans to roll back some steel and aluminum tariffs, with Administration officials acknowledging the levies are raising prices on everyday goods, We Pay the Tariffs, a coalition of more than 800 small businesses, called for the elimination of all new tariffs imposed over the past year. "Reports of steel and aluminum tariff rollbacks show t
We Pay the Tariffs
1 day ago
Valentine's Day Tariffs: The Only Thing Getting Crushed This Year Are American Small Businesses
Small jewelry and chocolate businesses face devastating cost increases; Popular Valentine's Day gifts faced over $3 billion in extra tariffs in just 9 months FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 12, 2026 – As Americans prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day, small businesses that supply the holiday’s most iconic gifts, including jewelry and chocolate, are warning that tariffs are forcing them to raise prices or risk closing their doors. We Pay the Tariffs, a grassr
We Pay the Tariffs
2 days ago
Ahead of House Vote, New Data Reveals State Breakdown of $2.2 Billion in Emergency Tariffs on Canadian Imports
Historic Tariff Collections Under IEEPA Exceed All Canada Tariffs from 2002-2017 Combined FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 11, 2026 – As Congress prepares to vote on H.J.Res.72 to terminate the emergency declaration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) related to Canadian imports, new data released by We Pay the Tariffs reveals the extraordinary financial burden these tariffs have placed on American businesses and consumers. From M
We Pay the Tariffs
3 days ago
Block That Punt: Every Day Congress Delays on Tariffs, American Businesses Pay $500 Million More in IEEPA Tariffs Alone
New analysis also shows states that backed President Trump are paying the highest price across all presidential tariffs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 10, 2026 – As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on a resolution this evening that would block tariff disapproval votes until August , We Pay the Tariffs today highlighted that American businesses are paying approximately $500 million per day in tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Ec
We Pay the Tariffs
4 days ago
We Pay the Tariffs: Turning Data into Advocacy
Effective advocacy depends on more than stories alone — it requires data that is timely, credible, and directly relevant to policymakers and the public. In 2025, We Pay the Tariffs built that foundation through a comprehensive state-level reporting effort. WPTT produces monthly state reports for every state, quantifying the tariffs paid by businesses and tracking how those costs change over time . These reports translate complex trade data into clear, accessible insights t
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 3
We Pay the Tariffs: Taking the Tariff Story Back Home
National trade debates can feel distant from the communities they affect most. In 2025, We Pay the Tariffs worked to ensure that discussions about tariffs reflected local realities — and reached the audiences that matter most. WPTT supported small business owners in placing op-eds in local and regional news outlets across the country . These pieces were written by business owners themselves and focused on how tariffs affected jobs, prices, and investment in their communit
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 3
We Pay the Tariffs: Shaping the Narrative When it Mattered Most
Tariff policy often enters the public conversation at critical moments — during major court cases, peak shopping seasons, or national discussions about prices and affordability. In 2025, We Pay the Tariffs worked to ensure that when tariffs were in the spotlight, small businesses were part of the story. WPTT hosted multiple press calls focused on the real-world impacts of tariffs. These included calls centered on the Supreme Court case challenging tariffs imposed under the
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 3
We Pay the Tariffs: Putting Small Business Harm into the Legal Record
In 2025, a Supreme Court case challenging the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs raised fundamental questions about trade authority and executive power. While the legal arguments were complex, the economic reality behind them was simple: small businesses were paying the price. We Pay the Tariffs helped bring that reality into the Court’s record . We Pay the Tariffs filed an amicus brief to ensure that legal arguments against
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 3
India Deal: Please Don’t Celebrate 600% Tax Hikes on American Businesses
New 18% tariffs on Indian imports are more than seven times higher than the 2.5% average rate American companies paid before Trump's tariff policies FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 2/2/26 Contact: press@wepaythetariffs.com WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 2, 2026 – We Pay the Tariffs, a coalition of over 800 small businesses, responded today to the announcement of a U.S.-India trade deal that reduces IEEPA tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%. "Let's be clear about what's being celebra
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 2
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
Feb 1
We Pay the Tariffs: Building a Small Business Network
At the start of 2025, many small businesses facing high, unpredictable tariffs had no single place to turn. Many industry-specific groups existed, but tariff impacts did not fit neatly into one sector. There was no cross-sector space where small businesses of all types could organize around the shared reality of paying tariffs. We Pay the Tariffs emerged to fill that gap. The coalition did not begin as a formal advocacy campaign. It began organically, as small business owne
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 1
Iowa Tariff Data & Stories: Tariffs Cost $828 Million Since “Liberation Day”; IA Small Businesses Speak Out
Presidential tariffs cost Iowa businesses $147 million in October alone, the last month of federal data released – Connect with Iowa small businesses to discuss impact IOWA – January 27, 2026 – As President Donald Trump visits Iowa today to speak about the economy and affordability in Clive, new data released by We Pay the Tariffs shows Iowa small businesses are grappling with the crushing weight of presidential tariffs that have cost companies in the state $$828 million fro
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 27
Michigan Small Businesses Brace for President Trump's Detroit Visit as Tariff Costs Hit Record $11 Billion
Presidential tariffs cost Michigan businesses $1.8 billion in October alone and have cost the state $11 billion from March-October of 2025 – Connect with Detroit area small businesses to discuss impact FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DETROIT, MI – January 14, 2026 – As President Donald Trump visits Detroit today to speak at the Detroit Economic Club and tour the Ford Rouge complex, new data released by We Pay the Tariffs shows Michigan small businesses are grappling with the crushing
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 14
READ: Tariff Impacts on PA.
Read : We Pay the Tariffs released new Pennsylvania-specific data ahead of President Trump's address on the economy and inflation at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Northeast Pennsylvania. TOPLINE STATS: Pennsylvania companies paid $5.7 billion in tariffs in the year ending August 2025, compared to $2.1 billion in the year ending August 2024. The average tariff rate on imports into PA jumped from 2.2% in August 2024 to 10.4% in August 2025. KEY PA INDUSTRIES HIT HARD: F
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 10, 2025
Coalition of Over 700 Small Businesses Files Supreme Court Brief Detailing Devastating Impact of IEEPA Tariffs
We Pay the Tariffs coalition amicus filing includes testimonials from 30 small businesses; Brief details how U.S. small businesses face closures, layoffs, and over $100 billion in costs WASHINGTON, D.C. – We Pay the Tariffs, a grassroots coalition representing more than 700 small businesses from across the United States, today filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of legal challenges to tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economi
We Pay the Tariffs
Oct 24, 2025
We're Going to the Supreme Court
On November 5, the Supreme Court will hear a landmark case deciding whether the President can use emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs — a decision that could mandate over $100 billion in tariff refunds. Letter signer Price Johnson , COO of Cephalofair Games , shares how devastating these tariffs have been: "Tariff volatility has meant job eliminations, company-wide furloughs, and product delays or cancellations. We'
We Pay the Tariffs
Oct 21, 2025
Small Businesses Take Their Voices to Washington
On September 17–18, small business owners from around the country came to Washington, DC to make their voices heard: tariffs are hurting their businesses, employees, and communities. Over the course of two days, more than 100 small business owners met with nearly 150 House and Senate offices to share firsthand how tariffs raise costs, cut into margins, and threaten jobs. These conversations weren’t abstract policy discussions—they were real stories about survival, growth, an
We Pay the Tariffs
Oct 1, 2025
Over 500 Small Businesses Call for an End to Devastating Tariffs as Supreme Court Fast-Tracks Review; Business Owners to Fly-In to DC
Nearly 100 businesses with "We Pay the Tariffs" coalition will fly-in to D.C. next week to speak with lawmakers about tariff impacts in their districts; New state-by-state impact reports released with most updated tariff increase information Contact: press@wepaythetariffs.com WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 500 small businesses from across the United States today sent a letter urging their Congressional representatives to intervene and end tariffs that they say threaten to c
We Pay the Tariffs
Sep 10, 2025
bottom of page