Retail group calls for ‘bold’ economic COVID-19 solutions, suspension of tariffs

The Retail Industry Leaders Association detailed several economic measures that should be a part of a larger stimulus package to aid the broader U.S. economy in response to COVID-19. 

In a letter sent to President Trump, the Secretary of Treasury and Congressional leaders, RILA called for a temporary suspension of all Section 301 tariffs that have fallen “directly on the retail community.” It also said that to ensure supply chains remain as functional as possible, distribution centers should be included in any definition of “essential business.”

“As the sector of the economy most closely connected to the everyday lives of American families, retailers are acutely aware of the anxiety which is rippling across markets and into our homes,” said RILA president Brian Dodge. “This is a time for bold, decisive, impactful, and bipartisan solutions to this crisis. That means keeping households afloat with immediate cash—particularly for those who have lost jobs; and it means immediate short-term cash flow assistance for businesses that have ceased operations at a speed which was unprecedented in American history.”
 
The full letter can be found here.