Womack wants White House to provide tariff exemptions

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, is ready to head back to Washington, D.C., where he knows he’s in for a grueling fall session after a lengthy August recess.

Looming over Congress is a possible government shutdown, funding disputes, tariff wars, redistricting battles, and arguments over local military intervention.

In an interview for the D.C. Edition of Talk Business & Politics, Womack said businesses have been complaining to him during the recess about the broad implications of tariffs and their impact on raw materials and supplies.

“I’ve spent most of my time dealing with business and industry chamber groups, the job creators of our country, because the One Big Beautiful Bill was passed. I wanted to get a sense as to how that is playing out with the people that actually move the economy,” he said. “I’ve got to tell you, the tariff issue has been the single biggest issue that has come to me. And they’re very respectful about it. They understand why there is such a thing called a tariff and what that kind of a tool in the toolbox actually affords an administration, but it’s having some unintended consequences on some of my employers.”

Womack said the White House can make exemptions for tariffs, especially if there is a national security concern, if dumping policies are occurring, or if there are unfair trade practices at work.

“However, when you use your tariff policy just writ large across the entire spectrum, it does create some unintended consequences. I’ve been hearing a lot from some of my job creators about that particular circumstance. So we’ll engage the administration in trying to get some relief for some of these people because they can’t source a lot of this stuff domestically,” said Womack.

The Third District Congressman also said he expects Congress to get involved in the president’s use of the military as a police force as Trump has done in Washington and has threatened to deploy in other cities across the U.S.

He expects his biggest focus to be on appropriations, a committee he has served on since coming to Congress.

“It is obvious that Job One for the Congress when we get back from home is funding this government by the end of September, which is not going to happen for the most part,” said Womack. “I am prayerful that we can get at least two or three of the 12 appropriation titles packaged together in what we call a minibus, a mini omnibus, and at least get something across the finish line before the end of September.”

He suggested the Appropriations Committee be dissolved if Congress can’t get its act together.

“I’ve got to tell you, after 15 years of dealing with continuing resolutions, I’m just done with them. So the appropriators need to do their job and if they’re not going to do, if our committee is not empowered to do its job, then we ought to dissolve the committee. We’re more a committee of irrelevance than we are of appropriations. So I’m hopeful that we can go back and make the case to the leadership and to the administration that the Appropriations Committee needs to be empowered to finish its work,” he said.

You can listen to more of Womack’s thoughts at this link.