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Senate Majority Leader Advocates for Continuing Tariffs to Combat Fentanyl Crisis

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is mobilizing Republican support to defeat a resolution spearheaded by Democrats that seeks to revoke President Trump’s 25-percent tariff on imports from Canada. Thune asserts that these tariffs are a critical component in addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis afflicting the nation.

In a statement to his Senate colleagues, Thune expressed concerns that dismantling the emergency tariff order could create an opportunity for drug cartels to redirect their smuggling efforts, potentially increasing the flow of illicit substances across the northern border.

Thune plans to articulate his position against the resolution during a speech on the Senate floor, emphasizing that a comprehensive approach is necessary to tackle the fentanyl epidemic effectively. “If we’re serious about ending the fentanyl crisis in America, we need to address the entirety of the crisis. We’re not going to solve the problem by going after just part of it,” he is expected to say, according to remarks shared with the media.

He further argued, “Ending this emergency declaration would tell the cartels that they should shift their focus to the northern border. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution and ensure that President Trump has the tools he needs to combat the flow of fentanyl from all directions.”

The resolution is backed by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine (Va.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), and Mark Warner (Va.), and it aims to reverse the tariffs imposed by Trump. Although the resolution lacks the power of law, a significant number of Republican votes in favor could represent a political setback for Trump.

Republican Senators such as Susan Collins (R-Maine), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) are under scrutiny as they have raised concerns regarding the potential economic impacts of maintaining tariffs on Canadian goods.

President Trump has reacted to the resolution by criticizing Kaine and calling on Republican senators to support the continuation of the tariffs. In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “Sen. Tim Kaine, who ran against me with Crooked Hillary in 2016, is trying to halt our critical Tariffs on deadly Fentanyl coming in from Canada. We are making progress to end this terrible Fentanyl Crisis, but Republicans in the Senate MUST vote to keep the National Emergency in place, so we can finish the job, and end the scourge.”

Source
thehill.com