Perry defended Trump’s tariffs and claimed they would make American industries “come back” despite admitting that they would also hurt Pennsylvanians. Then, he voted four times to protect the tariffs, including in April 2025 when he was the deciding vote to protect them, dooming Pennsylvania families who relied on him to a trade war and rising prices. Tariffs are contributing to higher food prices and Pennsylvania businesses were warning they may have to raise prices.
HEADLINE: "U.S. Rep. Scott Perry Voices Support For Trump Tariffs" [Penn Live, 4/5/25]
3/13/25: Perry Claimed The United States Had Gone “Downhill Ever Since” The Federal Government Lowered Tariffs In 1913. According to an interview Scott Perry gave on NewsNation, “PERRY: Most people don’t realize that before 1913 or so, our country was almost fully financed by tariffs. Foreigners paid for our country’s wellbeing and then instead we decided to tax American citizens with the federal income tax and it’s been downhill ever since.” [NewsNation, 3/13/25] (video) 00:02:57
4/2/25: Perry Admitted Trump’s Tariffs Would Cause Market Disruptions, But Defended Them And Claimed There Could Be A “Sweet Spot.” According to a tele-town hall hosted by Rep. Scott Perry, “PERRY: So, look, I know that there's going to be some market disruptions, but at the same time, I also know that, you know, prior to the national income tax, our country is essentially funded by tariffs. And so I think that there can be a sweet spot here.” [Rep. Scott Perry Tele-Town Hall, 4/2/25] (audio)
4/5/25: Perry Supported Trump’s Tariffs And Claimed “It’s Going To Take Some Time. But These Industries Are Going To Come Back” If They Were Given Incentives. According to Penn Live, "U.S. Rep. Scott Perry said Saturday he is ready to ride out the storm in support of President Donald J. Trump’s latest package of globe-spanning tariffs. […] ‘It’s going to take some time. but these industries are going to come back. You cannot be dependent on the Communist Party of China for things life steel. You cannot be dependent on the Communist Party of China or India for that matter for drug and pharmaceutical precursors or the pharmaceuticals themselves. ‘The only way those industries come back is to incentivize them,’ Perry said." [Penn Live, 4/5/25]
Perry On Trump’s Tariffs On 4/17/25: "I Don’t Think That They’re Meant To Generate Revenue Or To Be Forever." According to PennLive, "Asked which strategy he believed Trump was going for, Perry argued that it could partly be both. ‘I think that it’s twofold,’ Perry said. ‘I don’t think that they’re meant to generate revenue or to be forever, but they are being used as a negotiating tool, and also to acknowledge that over a very long period of time, American policy makers have made deals with other countries that aren’t necessarily great for the American people and American manufacturing, and with that acknowledgement to seek to level the playing field and make it fair.’" [PennLive, 4/17/25]
Perry Admitted That Pennsylvanians And Americans Who Buy The Goods That Are Tariffs Would Be The Ones Who Paid The Tariff Bill. According to a tele-town hall hosted by Rep. Scott Perry, “CARL: Hey, my question is pretty simple. The tariffs are a huge, large tax increase. I thought you were anti-tax. And I find it very disappointing that you are supporting Donald Trump in taxing American people because we do pay the tariffs and are paying tariffs. Why have you surrendered all your value to the conservative to Donald J. Trump on this issue? PERRY: Yeah, I appreciate the question, Carl. Look, I don't love the tariffs either. Obviously, somebody has to pay them if we're going to charge another country to send their goods into the United States. You know, the people that buy those goods are going to pay the bill.” [Rep. Scott Perry Tele-Town Hall, 10/22/25] (audio)
2025: Perry Effectively Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through March 2026. In September 2025, Perry voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the resolution [that] would allow for the tolling (the pausing of counting) of days for resolutions of inquiry from Sept. 30, 2025 through March 31, 2026. It also would provide that each day during the period from April 9, 2025, through March 31, 2026. would not constitute a calendar day for the purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act with respect to a joint resolution to terminate President Donald Trump's April 2, 2025 executive order declaring a national emergency regarding tariffs on imported goods. The resolution also would provide that during the period for March 11, 2025 through March 31, 2026, would not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act with respect to a joint resolution terminating a national emergency executive order declared by President Trump on Feb. 1, 2025. Such an executive order concerned tariffs on many Canadian and Mexican imports and Chinese goods. The resolution also would provide that the provisions of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act would not apply through March 31, 2026 to a joint resolution terminating the national emergency.” The vote was on the rule. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 213 to 211. [House Vote 268, 9/16/25; Congressional Quarterly, 9/16/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 707;Congressional Actions, H.Con. Res. 14]
2025: Perry Cast The Deciding Vote For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through September 2025. In April 2025, Perry voted for, “adoption of the rule (H Res 313) that would provide for floor consideration of the Senate amendment to the fiscal 2025 budget resolution (H Con Res 14). The rule would provide up to one hour of debate on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the measure. It also would block the expedited consideration of joint resolutions terminating President Donald Trump’s tariff actions under the April 2 executive order by providing that each day during the period from April 9, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025, will not constitute a calendar day under the federal law pertaining to terminating national emergencies.” The vote was on the rule. The underlying legislation was the FY 2025 budget resolution. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 216 to 215. [House Vote 94, 4/9/25; Congressional Quarterly, 4/9/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 313;Congressional Actions, H.Con. Res. 14]
2025: Perry Effectively Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through September 2025. In April 2025, Perry voted for, “motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res 313) that would providing for floor consideration of the Senate amendment to the fiscal 2025 budget resolution (H Con Res 14). The rule would provide up to one hour of debate on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the measure. It also would block the expedited consideration of joint resolutions terminating President Donald Trump’s tariff actions under the April 2 executive order by providing that each day during the period from April 9, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025, will not constitute a calendar day under the federal law pertaining to terminating national emergencies.” The vote was on the previous question. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 217 to 212. [House Vote 93, 4/9/25; Congressional Quarterly, 4/9/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 313]
2025: Perry Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs. In March 2025, Perry voted for, “the bill that would provide for Congressional disapproval of, and nullify, a December 2024 IRS rule related to gross proceeds reporting by brokers involved in digital asset sales. The rule imposed reporting requirements, beginning in 2027, on non-custodial barkers who participate in the decentralized digital asset market. It also required brokers to file information returns and provide payee statements reporting gross proceeds from certain digital asset sales and transactions.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 292 to 132. [House Vote 71, 3/11/25; Congressional Quarterly, 3/11/25; Congressional Actions, H.J. Res. 25]
Small Businesses In South-Central Pennsylvania Were Feeling The Negative Effects Of Tariffs, With One Store Saying They Had To Raise Prices Because They Could Not Absorb The Cost. According to Fox 43, "Fish and Friends, an aquarium store in Hanover, posted on social media Thursday that the tariffs will soon lead to higher prices on many of its items, including most of its fish. […] ‘Being a newer small business, we're not bringing in that much cash flow that I can afford to absorb the cost of some of these tariffs,’ Stevens said. ‘So, I just have to raise my prices accordingly to try to keep the lights on.’ It comes as the effects of the tariffs are being felt beyond the industries they've been intended to affect. Local businesses who sell items from flowers to games to even domestically made products like milk are feeling the effects, and economists say for tariffs this widespread, there will be no store, product or industry that goes untouched." [Fox 43, 4/3/25]
A Harrisburg Flower Shop Owner Claimed Before Trump’s Tariffs Went Into Effect, His Suppliers “Just Started Raising Their Prices Because They Can,” And Worried About His Business With The Threat Of Tariffs. According to the Burg News, "‘Flower prices are going up through the roof because 90% of the world’s flowers go through Holland,’ Paper Moon Flowers owner Shawn Durborow-Bowersox said. ‘The prices are just insane, doubled or tripled.’ […] Due to the federal discourse on the issue for the last several months, Paper Moon has already seen prices hiked by an industry preparing for what seemed inevitable. ‘They weren’t even in effect yet, and prices started going up,’ Durborow-Bowersox said. ‘It scared everyone, and people just started raising their prices because they can.’ Now that the tariffs are official, Durborow-Bowersox is worried that prices will only continue to climb. And he’s concerned about what that will mean for the business, for his product and for customers." [Burg News, 4/4/25]
A Harrisburg Coffee Shop Owner On Trump’s Tariffs Impacting Customers: “Prices Will Be Going Up This Year, And There’s Not A Whole Lot We Can Do.” According to the Burg News, "Little Amps Coffee Roasters prides itself on delivering high-quality blends, sourced from around the world, to Harrisburg. According to Little Amps CEO Peter Leonard, the tariffs come at a time when the coffee world has already been reeling from steep prices due to coffee shortages in typically high-producing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam. […] Leonard said that Little Amps prices will likely begin to rise late spring or early summer. ‘Prices will be going up this year, and there’s not a whole lot we can do,’ he said. ‘Hopefully our customers can roll with it, and I’m assuming they’ll have to because every type of coffee will be up [in price].’" [Burg News, 4/4/25]
HEADLINE: "Local Manufacturer Casts Wary Gaze Toward Trump Tariffs As Gov. Shapiro Warns 'People Will Suffer'" [York Dispatch, 4/3/25]
A York County Farmer Said Tariffs Would Increase The Price Of Equipment Parts And Reduce His Profits. According to WGAL 8, "Mike Flinchbaugh is a fourth-generation York County farmer. He grows a variety of crops on a two-thousand-acre farm in Hellam Township. He believes the tariffs will impact the price for parts he pays for his tractor and other farm equipment. ‘Some of the parts we buy to fix our tractors and equipment comes from other countries. Because of the tariffs, the prices for the parts will likely increase,’ he said. Flinchbaugh is also worried about making less for his grain crops, like soybeans, corn and wheat. ‘The markets for these have gone down already with the tariffs and the uncertainty of the market. The volatility of the market is similar to what we are seeing in the stock market,’ Flinchbaugh said." [WGAL 8, 4/10/25]