WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and member of the Commerce Committee, said the following regarding reports the Trump administration plans to offer $12 billion in aid to farmers negatively affected by tariffs:

“Time and time again I’ve heard from farmers that they want trade, not aid. Instead of throwing money at a problem we’ve helped create, the better option is to take action to make it easier for our farmers — and manufacturers — to sell their goods at fair prices to consumers around the world. I support President Trump’s call for reciprocal trade and his effort to stop China’s theft of American intellectual property. But we should stop self-inflicting permanent damage to America’s economy through tariffs and a trade war.”

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