Press Releases
Arrington Defends Trump's America First Trade Policy
Washington,
February 11, 2026
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) spoke on the House floor in opposition to H.J.Res.72, a privileged resolution to overturn President Trump’s “national emergency” on fentanyl pouring in from Canada, which allowed IEEPA tariffs to be imposed.
Remarks as Delivered:
The Democrats fought Republicans to require a voter ID to protect the integrity of our elections, the cornerstone of our democratic republic.
Now they stand here today on the floor of the People’s House fighting the President in his effort to protect the lives of the American people against what is the most imminent threat and the number one cause of accidental deaths in drug overdoses.
We know where their drugs are coming, pouring into our country, in our communities, killing our friends, killing our families.
I cannot think of a greater security concern than this.
The President, by the way, has effectively and appropriately promoted and defended America’s economic and security interests by the use of tariffs.
Today, Mr. Speaker, as a result, we have a lower trade deficit than we have had since 2009.
By the way, the top 20 economies in the world that we do business with had twice the tariffs on our products, three times the tariffs when you measure agricultural products and the deficit is going down - quadruple revenue to strengthen America’s balance sheet, pay down the tax on our children, which is the deficit, gone from 6.3% to 5.9%, and exports are at an all-time high.
Now, the issue here is not about 301 unfair trade practices, although there are plenty of grievances against our northern neighbor in that regard.
This is not about USMCA.
The USMCA products flowing from Canada to the United States are exempt - 85% of the products. We are not talking about that. It is not about 232.
This is about one particular authority that this Congress empowered our Commander-in-Chief with to deal with unusual threats outside of the U.S. that would impact our national security, our foreign policy, and our economy.
Now I cannot think of anything more unusual, and I cannot think of a bigger threat than chemical warfare waged against the United States of America.
And any President worth his salt, any Commander-in-Chief, would be derelict in their duty if they did not use every tool at their disposal to stop it.
And for my President to expect our neighbor to the north to have the same vigilance and the same urgency as he has because of the American people’s mandate to stop this madness and protect our children.
God bless him. God bless him.
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