While tariffs are in the news now, the United States has been collecting import duties for a long time. Policy Solutions President Jay Truitt says that money is allocated either to a targeted program or to the general revenues. “No offense, but they can’t just take general revenue money and start spending however they’d like,” said Truitt. “There has to be some congressional oversight over the process; I’m guessing that over the next few days we’ll see Secretary Rollins and folks on the Hill huddle up and try to come up with something.” The politics become difficult with Republicans and Democrats at odds over a spending bill in Congress. An end-of-the-year omnibus package is seen as an option to fund ag assistance. Truitt said waiting for a farm bill discussion to fund this plan would be ‘a fool’s folly.’ “I don’t think you even want to have this conversation in the shadow of a farm bill discussion because it will cost you something later on if you do.”
