April 4, 2025 

On April 2, the U.S. Senate passed S.J. Res. 37, a bipartisan resolution to end the national emergency declaration that enabled costly tariffs on Canadian imports. The resolution now moves to the House of Representatives, where its fate will directly affect North Carolina’s economy — especially as our communities work to recover from Hurricane Helene. 

This is not just a political fight — it’s a fight over jobs, prices, and livelihoods right here at home.

The good news?
It’s not too late. North Carolinians can still help stop this trade fight from doing even more harm.

When given the chance to protect North Carolina’s economy, Senator Thom Tillis and Senator Ted Budd voted against this resolution.

They weren’t alone in facing pressure. Every Republican senator knew that voting for this resolution meant crossing both Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who have been pushing to keep these tariffs alive. Some Republicans showed courage and did the right thing, standing up for their states and their constituents. 

North Carolina’s senators were not among the brave.

Instead, they stood with the President’s tariff scheme — not with the farmers, manufacturers, and working families they represent.

This is about much more than tariffs. It is about protecting one of our most valuable partnerships for North Carolina and the entire country.

A Vital Partnership, Not a Deficit

• Canada is North Carolina's #1 export market, buying nearly $8.7 billion worth of our goods in 2024 (USTR).
• North Carolina imports nearly $5 billion in goods from Canada — vital materials for farming, manufacturing, and construction  (Axios Raleigh)
   

This is not a deficit. This is a partnership that works.
 

• Farmers will continue to face high fertilizer prices — much of it imported from Canada — while struggling to sell pork, tobacco, and soybeans to Canadian buyers due to retaliatory tariffs (ABC11).
• Manufacturers — from furniture makers to machinery producers — will keep paying inflated prices for key materials and risk losing Canadian customers. This puts jobs and competitiveness on the line (USTR).
• Families will keep paying more for basic needs like housing and gas because of tariffs on lumber, oil, and other Canadian goods (News & Observer).

And Now — It’s Hurting Our Hurricane Recovery

North Carolina is still in the process of rebuilding from Hurricane Helene. From repairing roads and homes to restoring farms and businesses, rebuilding requires lumber, steel, and other construction materials — much of which comes from Canada.

Leaving these tariffs in place means the cost of recovery will rise. Communities trying to rebuild after the storm will be forced to pay more — slowing progress, delaying repairs, and draining family budgets.

This is not just a policy debate — this is about whether North Carolinians trying to rebuild after disaster will be forced to pay more, unnecessarily.
 

Beyond economics, North Carolina and Canada are linked by:

• A long-standing national security partnership — Canada is a founding member of NATO and a close ally in defending North America.
• Deep tourism and community ties — Canadians are some of the top visitors to North Carolina, supporting small businesses, especially in rural and mountain communities.
• Shared values of cooperation, prosperity, and mutual benefit.
   

This isn’t about a trade fight — it’s about protecting a trusted partnership.
 

The resolution is now in the hands of the House of Representatives, where it still has a chance — thanks to those senators who voted to keep it alive.

Congressman Chuck Edwards will soon cast his vote.

He will have to decide:

• Will he stand with North Carolina’s farmers, workers, and families — and vote to end these tariffs?
• Or will he follow the same path as Senators Tillis and Budd and continue punishing our communities for political gain?

This trade fight isn’t just about numbers — it’s about people. Families, farmers, and workers across North Carolina are counting on Congress to fix this.

The House has the power to stop these harmful tariffs, protect our partnership with Canada, and give North Carolina’s economy the relief it needs.

Your voice matters — now is the time to make sure Rep. Edwards hears it.

Subject: Please Vote YES on S.J. Res. 37 — Protect North Carolina's Economy and Partnership with Canada

Dear Congressman Edwards,

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to vote YES on S.J. Res. 37 when it comes before the House. This is an urgent matter for North Carolina’s economy, farmers, manufacturers, and working families. We cannot afford to continue bearing the unnecessary costs of tariffs on Canadian imports.

Canada is not our enemy — it is North Carolina’s most important trading partner. In 2024 alone, our state exported nearly $8.7 billion worth of goods to Canada, supporting thousands of jobs across agriculture, manufacturing, and small businesses. We also imported nearly $5 billion in Canadian goods essential to our economy — materials, components, and products that keep our industries moving and our shelves stocked.

These tariffs are hurting our state.

They drive up costs for farmers through inflated fertilizer and equipment prices. They squeeze our manufacturers by raising the cost of raw materials. They make life more expensive for North Carolina families by increasing the prices of housing materials, fuel, and other essentials. Worst of all, they jeopardize access to our most important export market.

This resolution is not about politics — it’s about the people you represent. I was deeply disappointed to see our Senators vote against this common-sense resolution. But you now have the opportunity to do what they would not: stand up for us.

Please stand with North Carolina’s farmers, workers, and families — not the administration’s tariff agenda. Show leadership. Cast your vote for S.J. Res. 37 and help secure a stronger future for our state.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent from [Your Town], North Carolina.

I am calling to urge Congressman Edwards to vote YES on S.J. Res. 37 to end the harmful tariffs on Canadian imports. These tariffs are hurting North Carolina's economy, especially our farmers, manufacturers, and working families.

Canada is our state's top trading partner, and these tariffs are making it harder for our farmers to export, driving up costs for manufacturers, and raising prices on everyday goods for families like mine.

I was very disappointed to see Senators Tillis and Budd vote against this resolution, but I am hopeful that Congressman Edwards will stand with North Carolina and not with the administration's tariff agenda.

Please pass my message along and let Congressman Edwards know that I, and many others, are counting on him to do what is right for our state and vote YES on S.J. Res. 37.

Thank you.

NC farmers, workers & families are still paying the price for Trump’s tariffs — and our senators just sided with DC over us.

Rep. Chuck Edwards can still fix this.

Tell him: Vote YES on #SJRes37 and stand with North Carolina, not politics.
#ProtectNCJobs #NCTariffs #ChuckEdwards

https://biggerthanme.info/04032025

Subject: You Failed North Carolina — Especially When We Needed You Most

Dear Senator [Tillis/Budd],

I am writing to express my deep frustration and disappointment with your recent vote against S.J. Res. 37, the resolution to end harmful tariffs on Canadian imports. At a time when North Carolina is working hard to recover from the damage of Hurricane Helene, your vote makes rebuilding more difficult and more expensive for the very people you were elected to serve.

Canada is not an adversary — it is our #1 trading partner and one of our closest allies. North Carolina depends on Canadian markets for our agriculture and manufacturing exports, and equally depends on Canadian imports of critical materials, including lumber, steel, and other construction supplies we now urgently need for post-hurricane rebuilding.

These tariffs are driving up the price of basic goods — fertilizer for farmers, raw materials for manufacturers, and building materials for families and communities trying to recover and rebuild. Your vote to keep these tariffs is not just bad economics, it is an insult to North Carolinians trying to get back on their feet after a natural disaster.

I was especially disappointed because other Republican senators showed courage, stood up to political pressure, and did what was right for their states and the country. North Carolina could have had that leadership, but instead, you chose to stand with the administration's tariff agenda and against the needs of your own constituents.

We deserved better. 

Sincerely,
[Your Name]