Hickenlooper Demands Immediate Refunds for Small Businesses After SCOTUS Tariff Ruling

A former small business owner, Hickenlooper fought Trump's illegal tariffs, condemned the harm done to Colorado businesses, working families

His Small Business RELIEF Act would repay small businesses for tariff-taxes they've paid, help lower prices for consumers

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper welcomed the Supreme Court decision to strike down President Trump's illegal tariffs and called on the Trump administration to promptly repay businesses the $175 billion they've been taxed and help relieve the increasing prices their tariffs have caused for Americans.

"President Trump's tariffs were blatantly illegal from the start and made life unaffordable for working families and small businesses. The Supreme Court confirmed today that tariffs are taxes and only Congress can set them," said Hickenlooper. "The Trump administration should immediately pay back every single Colorado small business that suffered from their reckless tariffs. If they don't, we need to pass our bill to make them do exactly that."

Last year, he introduced the Small Business RELIEF Act to exempt small businesses from the admin's sweeping tariffs and give them refunds for the tariffs they have already paid. Hickenlooper also supported the challenge against the Trump administration that was considered in this Supreme Court decision, signing onto an amicus brief for the case.

In October, he also helped pass the Senate effort to end the emergency declaration the White House has used to try to justify their illegal tariffs that have increased prices on Americans.

Over the summer, Hickenlooper chaired a field hearing of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee in Denver to highlight the strain the outdoor recreation industry is facing under the Trump administration's chaotic tariffs. Hickenlooper previously called on Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler to address the impacts of the Trump administration's tariffs on small businesses and sent a letter to the Trump administration demanding answers on the national security and economic impacts of their tariffs on Canadian goods. He's been continually outspoken on social media against the illegal tariffs and has met with small business owners across Colorado to hear about the damaging effects of the Trump administration's tariffs.

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