ICYMI: Amo Joins MSNBC’s ‘The Weekend’ to Ring Economic Alarm About Trump’s Tariffs and Big, Ugly Bill

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• “This Administration promised that they would be focused on the things that the American people care about and address costs.”
• “But we've seen quite the opposite over and over again.”
• “Last week, I had a round table with manufacturers in my district. They are saying there is a boatload of uncertainty that is causing them to pause decisions and that tariffs are making it harder to hire people, to buy machinery and invest in their companies.
• “A laser manufacturer in my district described getting components for their machines, from China, from Italy, from Germany. He said, ‘I don't know what to do. I'm waiting and hoping for the best’.”
• “Trump’s tariffs and the big, ugly bill are hurting the economy, killing the American consumer, and really hurting our small business owners.”

Background:

On July 3rd, after taking to the House floor at 3:45 AMto push back on the “so-called” One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, Congressman Amo joined all House Democrats in voting no on the disastrous legislation, which cut Medicaid and SNAP for millions of Americans.

On July 2nd, Amo introduced a unanimous consent request on the House floor asking for the chamber to consider an amendment to the “so-called” One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, to protect Medicaid and SNAP. Republicans denied it. 

On July 1st, Amo submitted four amendments to the House Committee on Rules to raise taxes on millionaires, protect Medicaid beneficiaries, block Republicans’ attack on clean energy, and index the maximum Pell Grant to inflation. 

On June 30th, Amo convened a roundtable of Rhode Island manufacturers hurt by Trump’s tariffs. 

On Sunday, May 18, 2025, Republicans called a late-night reconvening of the Budget Committee to force a vote on their dangerous reconciliation bill. At the hearing, all 21 Republicans on the House Budget Committee voted against Amo’s previously introduced motionto make millionaires pay their fair share. 

On May 16, 2025, Amo called out Republicans' betrayal in the Budget Committee, and introduced a motion to bring an amendment to make millionaires pay their fair share as President Trump requested.

On April 9, 2025, Amo slammed the Republican budget resolution on the House floor and shared the story of a Rhode Islander in the First Congressional District who will be hurt by Republican cuts. 

On February 25, 2025, Amo slammed the Republican budget resolution on the House Floor and its devastating cuts to critical programs.

On February 24, 2025, Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents. The Republican-controlled House Committee on Rules refused to consider Congressman Amo’s amendments.    

During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protect SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program. Republicans voted no.

As Vice Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Amo, worked to force a voteto end the ‘so-called’ national emergency Trump is using to justify tariffs. If passed it would end reciprocal tariffs.

In May 2025, Amo led 30 colleagues, alongside Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), in calling on the Acting Inspector General of the State Department to review potential corruptionin trade negotiations with countries facing tariffs benefiting Elon Musk and Starlink.

In April 2025, Amo signed an amicus brief in Oregon v. Trump supporting the argument that the Trump Administration abused emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to unlawfully impose reckless, across-the-board tariffs.

He also joined Congressman Steve Horsford (D-NV) in April 2025 to express alarm that Trump may be using trade policy to enrich insiders with advanced knowledge of pending trade actions or inactions.

Amo signed a letter led by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) in a April 2025 addressed to Secretary Lutnick, Secretary Bessent, and USTR Ambassador Greer expressing concern about the Trump Administration’s tariffs opening the door to corruption.

In February 2025, Amo joined Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) in urging Trump to reconsider the proposed 25% tariffson imported building materials from Canada and Mexico. 

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