Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) announced on Thursday that he plans to propose legislation requiring retailers to disclose price increases linked to President Trump’s tariffs.
This proposal, however, seems to have been sidelined before it was officially released to the public, with reports indicating that the White House deemed it a “hostile and political act.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is also gearing up to present “customs laws” in the Senate.
“If the President and his wealthy cabinet are making Americans pay more for consumer goods, the public deserves to know the exact amount. His tariff charges function essentially like national sales taxes, and we always indicate the tax amount on receipts,” Raskin stated on his post on social media platform X.
Trump has implemented a 10% baseline tariff on imports from most countries, along with added taxes on certain metals and foreign vehicles, as well as a hefty 145% tariff on products from China and a baseline 10% tariff on household electronics.
Amazon has quickly distanced itself from the proposal, noting that it was never approved and that they systematically track tariff costs.
“Our team working on the ultra-low-cost Amazon Haul Store had the idea to display import fees for certain products, but this was never finalized,” Amazon stated.
The White House criticized the initiative following initial reports during a press conference. Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt questioned, “Why didn’t Amazon take similar actions when the Biden administration raised inflation to a 40-year high?”
Trump later conversed with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who had been one of the tech leaders present during the President’s inauguration in January. Bezos has faced scrutiny for steering the editorial direction of the Washington Post and has sought the support of Vice President Harris.
