As Sen. “D.C”. Deb Fischer stays true to her record of voting with her party 98 percent of the time by siding with the administration’s harmful tariff policy, Nebraska taxpayers could be on the hook for helping pay for even more bailouts beyond the $12 billion being sent to farmers. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce analysis says that providing similar aid to all sectors affected by the administration’s tariffs would cost U.S. taxpayers $39 billion.
Fischer and her party bosses in Washington are hurting Nebraska’s ag producers, manufacturers and working families with these reckless tariffs.
Raybould Proactive In Response To Trade Crisis
U.S. Senate Candidate Jane Raybould has put the agricultural economy at the forefront of her campaign since day one, calling on Washington to prioritize critical trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and drawing attention to Senator Fischer’s five-year absence on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Time and time again, Senator Fischer’s decision to stand with her party bosses is hurting Nebraskans. In two recent articles in the Norfolk Daily News and the Kearney Hub, Raybould addressed the tariffs and the bailouts.
“If I talked to my grocery customers the way Trump has talked to our major trade partners, like Canada and Mexico, I wouldn’t have any grocery customers,” Raybould said about her family’s business. Raybould told the Kearney Hub.
In a Norfolk Daily News article, Raybould said: “We have a Washington-made trade war that is turning into a Washington-made farm crisis. Besides, farmers don’t want a bailout; they want to be able to engage in global trade. Tariffs are completely irrational.”
The U.S. Chamber estimated earlier that the administration’s harmful trade war will have a $327 million impact on Nebraska alone.
Sen. Deb Fischer Is Hiding From Her Record On Tariffs
Fischer showed her true colors when asked by outlet The Weekly Standard whether she would support binding legislation to protect Nebraska’s farmers from the escalating Washington created trade crisis after the non-binding vote in the Senate. Fischer “opted to avoid the question,” the magazine reported.
In a recent interview with KGFW, Fischer attempted to pull the wool over Nebraska’s voters eyes in saying her position on trade is“the same stance,” as the administration but that Raybould “was misrepresenting [Fishcher’s] views” in drawing the clear line between the continued tariff policy coming out of Washington and Deb Fischer’s loyalty to her party bosses at the expense of the Nebraskan and American economy.
Fischer had the opportunity to show some independence but she voted against the Corker-Toomey bill that could have ended this trade war before more damage was done. And just this week Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) have proposed a measure that would change a 1962 trade law to give Congress more oversight over levying tariffs based on national security concerns. Even as China has announced plans to put $60 billion in tariffs on US products, Sen. Fischer has not signed on to support the bill that could protect her constituents she claims to work for, that could give Congress the ability to end the Washington manufactured trade crisis.
Sen. Deb Fischer Sides With Party Bosses On Tariffs
Fischer On Toomey-Corker Bill That Would Give Congress Veto Power Over Tariff Decisions Made On Basis Of National Security: “I Haven’t Heard A Compelling Case.” “A few Senate Republicans are attempting to put some checks on the president through legislation that would give Congress veto power over tariff decisions made on the basis of national security. But their effort appears destined to fail, seemingly leaving Trump with free rein to undo U.S. trade relations around the world as he sees fit. […] But other Republicans showed little interest in the Toomey-Corker proposal. ‘I haven’t heard a compelling case,’ said Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.). ‘The sponsors of the bill need to make that.’” [Washington Post, 6/11/18]
Fischer Among 14 Republican Senators To Side With Trump Administration In Vote Against GOP Plan That Would Have Given Congress Greater Oversight Over Deals Between Foreign And U.S. Firms That Could Affect National Security. “The Senate sided with the Trump administration Thursday to vote down a GOP plan that would have given Congress greater oversight over deals between foreign and U.S. firms that could affect national security. The legislation, pushed by Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.), failed to clear a procedural hurdle when the Senate blocked it with a 62-to-35 vote. Sixty ‘yes’ votes would have been required for the measure to advance. […] Most Republican senators voted in favor of Toomey’s amendment, but 14 joined Democrats in voting “no”: Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton (Ark.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Susan Collins (Maine), John Cornyn (Texas), Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), James E. Risch (Idaho), Pat Roberts (Kansas), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Steve Daines (Mont.) and Richard C. Shelby (Ala.).” [Washington Post, 6/14/18; Vote #123, S.Amdt. 2700 to S.Amdt. 2282 to H.R. 5515, 6/14/18]
Fischer “Worried” On Agriculture And Trade Issues But Said Said She Was Hopeful That Everything Would Be Okay. “On Wednesday, USDA Trade Under Secretary Ted McKinney will meet with Nebraska U.S. Senator Deb Fischer at Greater Omaha Packing. They will lead a roundtable discussion with Nebraskans focused on trade and agriculture issues. ‘I’m very worried obviously agriculture is the economic engine for the state of Nebraska,’ said Fischer. But Fischer is hopeful everything will be okay because she says President Trump told her last year in a meeting he would have ag’s back, ‘I hold him at his word, I hope he will be able to represent us well with the Chinese.'” [KMTV, 5/4/18]
Fischer Had Not Looked At Senator Flake’s Bill That Would Roll Back Increased Tariff, Saying “I Haven’t Had Senator Flake Approach Me To Visit With Me About That Bill Either, So I Don’t Know How Serious He Is About Pushing It Forward.” “U.S. Senator Deb Fischer says she has not looked at Flake’s bill. ‘A number of bills are introduced every year,’ Fischer tells Nebraska Radio Network. ‘I haven’t had Senator Flake approach me to visit with me about that bill either, so I don’t know how serious he is about pushing it forward.’” [Nebraska Radio Network, 5/4/18]
The Washington Made Trade Crisis Has Turned Into A Washington Made Farm Crisis
Business Insider: Trump could more than double his proposed tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods — and China is preparing to strike back against US ‘blackmail’
Wall Street Journal: Trump Advisers Urge Raising Additional China Tariffs to 25%
Nebraska Radio Network: Survey: Midwest economy will slow down due to trade tariffs
Bloomberg: Farm Aid Will Be Temporary Even in Extended Trade War, Ag Secretary Says
Reuters: GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks slip, dollar rallies as trade war fears return
NBC News: Trump’s trade war may soon hit consumers’ wallets and paychecks
The Hill: US soybean farmers warn Trump trade war with China will cause ‘serious damage’
The Weekly Standard: Farmers the First Casualties in Trump’s Trade War
Financial Times: Global stocks retreat as trade war worries deepen
Omaha World-Herald: Caught in crossfire of Trump’s trade wars, Nebraska and Iowa companies look for ways to compete
CNBC: We’re heading to ‘massive trade war’ because of Trump’s ‘absurd’ policy: Reagan OMB director
Fortune: Trump’s Trade War Has Its First Victims in the U.S. and China. Here’s Who They Are
Bloomberg: How Farmers Could Be Hurt by a Trade War With China
Slate: Trump Is Trying to Gaslight the Soybean Farmers
Associated Press: Likely impact of US-China trade war: Prices up, growth down
Media contact: Brandon Weathersby
cell: 414-364-6729
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A grocery store owner and faithful Catholic, Jane Raybould knows what it means to serve her community — to put community before self. She is running for the United States Senate to cut through the partisan bickering and get things done for Nebraskans, like her customers. Jane boldly announced she would refuse donations from corporate PACs because she knows the special interests hold too much sway in Washington. Her opponent, incumbent Senator Deb Fischer has enriched herself in office and voted with her party 98% of the time — even when those policies are harmful to Nebraskans.