Blunt also agrees with Missouri trade concerns

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt visited the Capitol in 2018 and after a brief address to the Missouri House of Representatives, he spoke to members of the media outside House Speaker Todd Richardson's office.
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt visited the Capitol in 2018 and after a brief address to the Missouri House of Representatives, he spoke to members of the media outside House Speaker Todd Richardson's office.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt also agrees with Missouri lawmakers' concerns about the Trump administration's recent tariff actions.

Sixteen state senators - including Mid-Missouri Republicans Mike Kehoe and Jeanie Riddle - recently told Blunt, a Republican, and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, that they were concerned about market reactions to the tariffs and the negative consequences those have had on Missouri manufacturing and agriculture.

McCaskill's comments were included in a story in Wednesday's News Tribune.

Blunt said in a one-page letter: "You are right that the market reacts quickly to issues such as tariffs on steel and aluminum, and that increases in prices resulting from tariffs will ultimately be passed on to consumers."

Blunt said he had shared his own concerns and those of the 16 Missouri senators "with the President and others in the Administration."

He acknowledged in many trade disputes "other countries reciprocate against our greatest exports first, which are our commodities and food products."

And, he noted, there are reports China already has stopped buying soybeans, while the "U.S. has exported about $14 billion worth of soybeans to China."

Missouri, Blunt noted, ranks sixth in the nation for soybean production.

"Having other countries reciprocating against our commodities and food products will be especially painful for Missouri agriculture and Missouri manufacturing," Blunt wrote.

"Instead of tariffs and increasing trade tensions, it is imperative that we have robust enforcement to defend the U.S. economy, businesses and workers from imports attempting to evade antidumping and countervailing duty laws. We must enforce our trade policies and agreements."

In addition to Kehoe, of Jefferson City, and Riddle, of Mokane, the letter to Missouri's two U.S. senators was signed by Republicans Ron Richard, of Joplin; Bob Onder, of Lake St. Louis; Sandy Crawford, of Buffalo; Mike Cunningham, of Rogersville; Dan Hegeman, of Cosby; Denny Hoskins, of Warrensburg; Doug Libla, of Poplar Bluff; David Sater, of Cassville; Wayne Wallingford, of Cape Girardeau; and Paul Wieland, of Imperial.

The four Democrats signing the letter were Maria Chappelle-Nadal, of University City; Jason Holsman, of Kansas City; John Rizzo, of Kansas City; and Jill Schupp, of Creve Coeur.