Michigan Smart Trade Alliance renews call for consistent trade policies following new inflation report that showcases crippling cost of tariffs

Highest inflation numbers in three years show urgent need for Congress to take action on smart and consistent trade policies 

LANSING, Michigan — Alarming inflation numbers released Tuesday show that tariffs remain a significant factor in staggering cost increases facing everyday Michiganders. 

The U.S. saw a year-over-year inflation rate of 3.8% in April, the highest since May 2023 according to newly released data, and tariffs account for a quarter of the inflation number, according to an analysis from the Federal Reserve. That means American consumers are footing the bill for tariffs, Fortune reported this week, and without tariffs, the inflation numbers would be much lower. 

“We need members of Congress from both parties to recognize that tariffs are a tax, and they are hurting Michigan families, small businesses, farmers and manufacturers,” said Mark Fisk, a spokesman for the Michigan Smart Trade Alliance. “New data shows everyday Michiganders are paying the price of our country’s current trade policies, and Congress must act on the power it has to enact smart and stable trade policies that can help people here and across the country.” 

“It’s clear that tariffs play an outsized role in the new inflation numbers, and we need to call on Congress to enact smart and consistent trade policies,” said John Sellek, a MISTA spokesman.