ICYMI: On Small Business Saturday, U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison Introduces Bill to Bring Immediate Relief to Small Businesses
December 2, 2025
OSSEO, MN – On Saturday, U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03) highlighted her new effort to bring small businesses relief from the Trump Administration’s global tariff war, which has caused enormous financial strain and uncertainty to small businesses across the United States.
Representative Morrison’s new bill, the Small Business Restoring Equity for Local Importers through Economic Fairness (RELIEF) Act, would exempt small business owners from Trump’s exorbitant tariffs and provide refunds to the small businesses who were forced to pay them.
“These tariffs are forcing small business owners to make impossible choices: to raise prices, to let go of staff, or even to close their doors permanently,” said Rep. Kelly Morrison. “It’s just untenable to ask small businesses to weather a tariff war like this – especially when the reasons why the Administration is levying these tariffs are ever changing, and the amount of tariffs they must pay is unpredictable and often unsustainably high. That’s why I’m introducing the Small Business RELIEF Act, which will exempt small businesses from these tariffs – and provide rebates to small businesses who have had to pay them and have suffered economic losses and financial strain because of them.
Representative Morrison, a member of the U.S. House Small Business Committee, spent Small Business Saturday touring several local small businesses and hearing from small business owners.
Watch Representative Morrison’s remarks highlighting the Small Business RELIEF Act HERE.
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Read a transcript of Representative Morrison’s remarks below:
Hi everyone – thanks so much for being here.
I’ll keep this brief, because I’m pretty excited to get out there and visit some of the amazing small businesses behind us.
Especially today on Small Business Saturday!
Today is all about being in community and supporting your local small businesses – from coffee shops to construction companies and everything in between.
Because small businesses truly are the backbone of our community. They make up 99 percent of all businesses in the U.S. – so they are literally the engine of our economy.
And in Congress, I’m proud to serve on the House Committee on Small Business. One of the highlights of my time in Congress is meeting hardworking small business owners all across Minnesota’s Third District and learning more about what’s going well for them and what their challenges are.
And one thing I’ve been hearing over and over again:
What small business owners really need is relief from the global tariff war that President Trump started this year.
I’ve been hearing this all year, from small business owners right here in Osseo, to all over Minnesota and across the country small business owners about the enormous financial strain and uncertainty that they have been facing.
That these tariffs are forcing small business owners to make impossible choices: to raise prices, to let go of staff, or even to close their doors permanently.
It’s just untenable to ask small businesses to weather a tariff war like this – especially when the reasons why the Administration is levying these tariffs are ever changing, and the amount of tariffs they must pay is unpredictable and often unsustainably high.
That’s why I’m introducing the Small Business RELIEF Act, which will exempt small businesses from these tariffs – and provide rebates to small businesses who have had to pay them and have suffered economic losses and financial strain because of them.
I’ve actually been pushing for small businesses to be exempt from these tariffs for a while now – but in order to fully make sure small businesses are supported, the government needs to go beyond just exempting them and actually provide refunds to cover the enormous financial losses some small businesses have had to face.
Because no matter what the President will try to tell us, we know the truth:
Tariffs are a tax on the consumer, and they’re costing Americans billions.
And also, let’s not forget:
Congress has the Constitutional authority to levy tariffs, not the President!
There are potentially some signs of life in Congress, at least in the Senate, though — the Senate recently passed three bipartisan resolutions — 4 to 5 Republicans joined all the Democrats -– to end Trump’s global trade war and restore congressional authority over tariffs..
But Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to do the Houses’ part to take back Congress’s authority and won’t call the House to vote on this issue.
So I’m inviting House Republicans to reclaim their power from the President and pass my straightforward bill that will give small business owners some relief from this chaotic tariff war.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this legislation pass, and I’m happy to announce it on Small Business Saturday, when we’re surrounded by so many great small businesses.
Thank you so much, and enjoy Small Business Saturday.
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Issues:
Small Business