[Pages S2472-S2473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Tariffs

  Mr. President, I am going to talk about tariffs. I know there has 
been a lot going on about tariffs. I am not happy with what is 
happening in the stock market. None of us are. It has been painful. I 
get it. But you know the stock market is just a reflection of the U.S. 
economy, and the American economy is the strongest economy in all of 
human history.
  At this moment today, the current state of our economy is the best in 
the world vis-a-vis the other 195 countries in the world. You want to 
trade places with China? Not me. Not me. China's property market 
imploded. Their youth unemployment is over 20 percent. Consumer 
expectations in China are on a journey to the center of the Earth. They 
are reporting 5 percent growth, which is not true. They have a 
deflation. Their prices are going down. Do you know why? Because their 
economy is so bad.
  I wouldn't trade places with the European Union. America's economy is 
much stronger than theirs.
  I wouldn't trade places with Canada. I am not saying I am happy that 
the Canadian economy is in the doldrums; I am just saying that today, 
the American economy, despite the stock market, is the strongest right 
now in the world.
  Still, I am not happy with what has happened in the market. It has 
been very, very painful. But if you believe in the American economy, 
then you have to believe in the stock market and you have to believe 
the stock market will recover. And I think it will. That is point one.
  Point two, any fairminded person--any fairminded person would have to 
conclude that Donald J. Trump is tough as a boot. Whether you like him 
or not, the man is tough as a boot. Whether you agree with him or 
disagree with him, we would not be in the position that we in America 
are right now but for him. And what is that position?
  There are 195 countries in the world; 70 percent of them are begging 
the President to negotiate the deal through which they can lower their 
trade barriers.
  Now, we know--this is another thing every fairminded person knows--
that many foreign nations have used trade barriers to hurt Americans 
and to hurt the American economy.
  God created the world, but everything else was made in China. Where 
do you think that expression came from? It came from China cheating 
through its tariff barriers and its trade barriers. President Trump, 
whether you agree with him or not, has said: I am going to do something 
about it.
  And he did. He did. And boy, did he get the attention of every other 
country, including, but not limited to, those countries that have been 
cheating. They are now coming to the table. In Louisiana, we say they 
have come to the lick-log. Do you know what a lick-log is? A lick-log 
is a tree, a fallen tree that farmers and ranchers used to go to, and 
they would hollow out a trough, and they would put salt and other 
minerals in that trough in the fallen tree that cattle and horses like 
to lick. And it makes the cattle and horses healthy. That is what a 
lick-log is.
  And an expression is when you get somebody to the table, you say they 
have come to the lick-log. Well, President Trump has got these 
countries, 70 out of 195 have already come to the table and said they 
want to lower their tariffs. And I think that is a good thing.
  I have been preaching on this Senate floor for 2 weeks that what 
Prime Minister Carney in Canada and President Trump in America ought to 
do is turn to each other and say: Let's have zero tariffs. Zero 
Canadian tariffs on American goods and zero American tariffs on 
Canadian goods. Get government out of it. Let good Canadian companies 
and good American companies compete. Competition makes us better. May 
the best product at the lowest price win. I want to see that happen all 
over the world, and we have the opportunity to help make that happen in 
the world thanks to Donald Trump.
  And I know some people are mad at him. But we wouldn't be in this 
position with this kind of leverage without him doing what he did. He 
is a pit bull. He is a Rottweiler. We know that. Tough as a boot.
  But he is the pit bull that caught the car. And the issue before 
America right now, and I don't know the answer to it, what is President 
Trump going to do with that car? I don't know. I listened to his aides 
on television this weekend. They were all over the place.
  Here is what I hope he does. Here is what I would do. I would sit 
down with each one of those countries that want to lower its trade 
barriers--some go to zero tariffs--and I would say: I will take a 
dozen. I will take a dozen. And we will do the same. That is what free 
trade is. And both economies would boom. I will take a dozen.
  And that is what I hope President Trump does. Vietnam is offering 
zero tariffs. Taiwan is offering zero tariffs. The European Union is 
talking about it. China is all bowed up, but they will make a deal. And 
the only reason they are at the table lowering tariffs is because of 
President Trump.
  Take the deal, Mr. President, please with--pretty please with sugar 
on top. Take the deal. Our economy will roar. It will be better for the 
world economy. I would be lying to you if I told you I knew what the 
President was going to do. I don't know what is in his head right now. 
I think I know what is in his heart.
  But I am not going to try to feign omnipotence here in terms of what 
the future is going to hold.
  I don't know what President Trump is going to do, but I believe as 
much as I am standing here that he ought to take these zero tariff 
deals. It will be good for America. It will be good for the world. He 
will have won.
  So, Mr. President, if you are listening--you are probably not. But if 
you are, once again, pretty please with sugar on top. You have won. 
Please,

[[Page S2473]]

today call Secretary Bessent, your very able Treasury Secretary, and 
you and he sit down with every one of these countries that want to 
lower their trade barriers and let's make a deal.
  Let's lift America up. Let's lift the world up. Let's lift trade up. 
Let's reduce these trade barriers, and let people compete. Let American 
businesses compete. Let foreign businesses compete. May the best 
product at the best price win. That is free enterprise.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.