As inflation skyrockets to 7.5 percent – a level not seen in 40 years – retailers and consumers are feeling the impacts and grappling with how to deal with rising costs. American families and consumers are seeing higher price tags on everyday goods and services from grocery stores to gas pumps. And retailers are feeling inflation fueled by supply chain challenges, COVID-19 impacts, labor shortages and an anti-competitive payments system. As inflationary pressures build, President Joe Biden and Congress have the opportunity to provide relief to consumers and encourage economic growth. Here are four ways to lower inflation now:
Join NRF in calling on Congress and the administration to lower inflation by participating in our grassroots campaign.
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Easing the supply chain crisis by enacting the Ocean Shipping Reform Act
The crisis gripping global supply chains is a major contributor to inflation. There are many compounding factors contributing to disruptions in the supply chain, including soaring consumer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, container and truck driver shortages, logjams at the ports, among many others. However, Congress has the opportunity to enact important reforms to ease supply chain constraints and bring inflation under control by passing the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA). This bill would address long-standing unfair business practices by ocean carriers and terminal operators that are further complicating supply chain disruptions and adding to price hikes that in turn cause inflation. OSRA would put in place common-sense reforms to address some of these ongoing issues that have been further highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Making everyday necessities more affordable by repealing the failed Section 301 tariffs
The Biden administration could provide immediate economic relief by repealing tariffs imposed on consumer goods under Section 301. These tariffs, which began during the Trump administration and have been continued by the Biden administration, are adding cost pressures on retailers and contributing to higher prices for consumers. Paid for by U.S. families and companies, tariffs have cost hundreds of billions of dollars and have forced many businesses to pass these costs along to customers. To date, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has collected more than $126 billion in Section 301 in tariffs since the onset of the trade war.
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Address the ongoing labor shortage through smart immigration reforms
Efforts to address our nation’s broken immigration system could begin to mitigate some of the stressors caused by the ongoing labor shortage. NRF has long supported legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for “dreamers,” immigrants who were brought to the country as minors and remain in good legal standing. Narrower immigration reforms included in the America COMPETES Act, including a new type of visa for entrepreneurs and a direct path to permanent residence for immigrants who earn a Ph.D. in a STEM field while in the United States, would be an important first step as Congress begins to address the many flaws in our immigration policy.
The new “W visa” would be established for citizens of foreign nations who engage in entrepreneurial endeavors. Citizens of foreign nations who earn Ph.D.-level degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics from U.S. universities should also be provided with visas. Immigration reforms such as these can, over time, provide more opportunities for innovation across the economy and have a positive effect on efforts to reduce inflation.
Join NRF in calling on Congress and the administration to lower inflation now by participating in our grassroots campaign.
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