In Bellingham, Senator Murray Hears How Trump’s Trade War with Canada and War in Iran Are Driving Up Costs for the Maritime Industry; Murray Pushes Bill to End Trade War with Canada, Continues to Press for Votes to End War with Iran

Murray : “More fish—fewer tariffs and fewer wars.” ICYMI : Murray Introduces Bill to End Trump’s Trade War with Canada & Lower Costs, Slams Trump’s Latest Tariffs as “Economic Arson” Murray has been a longstanding champion of the maritime industry, consistently securing key federal funding increases under tough fiscal conditions; Murray also recently established the first-ever seafood liaison at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thanks to Trump’s war with Iran, national average diesel has climbed past $5 a gallon—up nearly $2 from a year ago—and fuel can account for as much as 40 percent of the operating costs of a fishing trip ***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL HERE *** Bellingham, WA — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a maritime roundtable discussion in Bellingham with the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County, commercial fishermen, shellfish growers, maritime workforce leaders, and the Port of Bellingham to hear directly about how President Trump’s chaotic trade war, his war in Iran, and his deep cuts to federal agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service are raising costs and threatening jobs across Washington state’s working waterfronts. “Our maritime industry and our ports power the economy in Washington state—our fish and shellfish travel far on their own, but our fishermen and our ports are the reason they’re famous worldwide,” said Senator Murray. “And this administration’s reckless and unpredictable tariffs have been nothing short of a disaster for them—driving up costs and making it impossible for any small business to plan. Let’s just acknowledge how Trump’s decision to pursue an all-out trade war with Canada—Washington state’s biggest trading partner and our country’s closest ally—is beyond stupid and counterproductive, fraying partnerships north of the border that have spanned lifetimes. Trump’s war in Iran has made fuel far more expensive for fleets already running on razor-thin margins. And that’s to say nothing of pushing federal workers out en masse and making severe cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service—clearly, Trump does not understand that our fishermen rely on a top-notch National Weather Service to do their work.” “The most urgent thing we can do to bring costs down in a big way is put an end to this trade war and to the actual war against Iran—and Congress can do both,” continued Senator Murray. “How about instead of funding bombs in the Middle East we invest in our fisheries and habitat recovery here at home? Let me sum it up: more fish—fewer tariffs and fewer wars.” Washington state has one of the most trade-dependent economies of any state in the country, with 40 percent of jobs in the state tied to international commerce—and no community feels that more directly than Whatcom County, which sits at the Canadian border. In just one year, Trump’s tariff tax has cost the average family nearly $2,000 , with hardworking Americans bearing 96% of the cost of the hundreds of billions of dollars in new tariffs. Still, Trump has been undeterred by the chaos and pain his trade war has wrought and continues to double down on the global stage. Yesterday, Murray announced the End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act , legislation that would revoke and refund Trump’s latest barrage of tariffs and repeal the archaic authorities he has used to continue his trade war. This legislation would apply to Trump’s newest global tariffs of 12.5% and 50% tariffs on Canada. At the same time, Trump’s war in Iran and the resulting disruption at the Strait of Hormuz have sent fuel costs soaring for Washington state’s fishing fleets and maritime businesses. National average diesel has climbed past $5 a gallon—up nearly $2 from a year ago—and fuel can account for as much as 40 percent of the operating costs of a fishing trip, pushing captains up and down the coast to cut days at sea or tie up their boats altogether. Joining Senator Murray at the roundtable discussion were: Dan Tucker, Executive Director of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County; Sierra Oliver, Program Director of the NW Maritime Apprenticeship Program with the Working Waterfront Foundation; Steve Seymour, Owner and CEO of Drayton Harbor Oyster Company; Ron Wille, President and COO of All American Marine; Jamie Wurtz, commercial fisherman and owner of Wurtz Fisheries; and Mike Hogan, Public Affairs Administrator at the Port of Bellingham. “Senator Murray is a tremendous champion for Washington’s working waterfronts,” said Port of Bellingham Public Affairs Administrator Mike Hogan. “Over the past two years, Senator Murray has helped secure over $40 million in federal grants to rebuild Whatcom County’s maritime infrastructure and create new family-wage jobs.” “Maritime sectors worldwide are underway with the largest shift in technology since the switch from sail to steam,” said Dan Tucker, Executive Director of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County. “Whatcom County and Washington state need steady regulation and policy, protection for American shipbuilding and crews through the Jones Act, federal investment in business and workforce development, and careful consideration of our international partners in order to provide career-track, retirement-potential opportunities to the next generation that will build tomorrow’s blue economy.” “First the price of fish is of greatest concern, if the markets are not buying wild sustainable caught fish at a healthy price our business is unsustainable and crew and captains alike cannot make a living,” said Jamie Wurtz, commercial fisherman and owner of Wurtz Fisheries. “Fuel costs have the second biggest impact on small fishing operations.  These can normally be the largest expense of any fishing season with this last year’s price of agricultural- off road diesel fuel increasing 22%. For example, last year in WA state fuel rose from $3.59 a gallon to $5.00 a gallon and in Alaska it was even higher, going from $4.68 a gallon to $6.10.  That translates to being the largest expense in our operation after the cost of financing a boat. This increase impacts our ability to be profitable. All fishermen need to see some stability in the markets for the price of seafood as well as the price of fuel.” “Whatcom County businesses are ready to grow, but need investment in industrial waterfront infrastructure, clearer and more predictable environmental regulations, and faster, more accessible workforce-training incentives. These changes would unlock business expansion, create good-paying jobs, and expand workforce development opportunities. Limited infrastructure restricts our ability to create the volume of work and training opportunities needed to bring more women and other underrepresented workers into the marine trades,” said Patrick Schjelderup, co-owner and CEO of Top to Bottom Marine, Inc. Senator Murray has consistently gone to bat for Washington state’s fishermen and maritime workforce in the federal funding bills she helps to write as Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, securing important funding increases for programs at NOAA that support aquaculture and fisheries. Murray also secured funding to create and establish the first-ever seafood industry liaison at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. President Trump’s FY27 budget request proposes serious cuts that would hit the people in Whatcom County’s maritime community directly—including completely eliminating funding for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) and NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Murray has made clear she plans to rip up President Trump’s budget and write a new one. Senator Murray has been a vocal opponent of Trump’s chaotic trade war from the very start and has been lifting up the voices of people in Washington state harmed by this administration’s approach to trade, while calling on Republicans to end Trump’s trade war and take back Congress’s constitutionally-granted power to impose tariffs. Senator Murray has held events in every corner of Washington state to hear directly from constituents, businesses, and workers about how Trump’s tariffs are harming them—including in Tacoma, Yakima, Vancouver, Seattle, Skagit County, and Blaine , just across the border from Canada. Last fall, she held a roundtable with small business owners in Vancouver and slammed Trump for the cost of his tariffs. Last December, she responded to a Joint Economic Committee report showing Trump’s tariffs on Canada have caused a steep decline in Canadian tourism that is harming border communities in Washington state. She also grilled U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing over how the trade war with Canada is hurting Washington state businesses and consumers. Murray has been outspoken in her opposition to Trump’s pointless and counterproductive hostilities toward Canada at every step. Senator Murray has also repeatedly voted to end President Trump’s unauthorized war in Iran, including voting for war powers resolutions to terminate hostilities absent a declaration of war or an authorization for the use of military force from Congress, and has demanded answers from the administration on behalf of Washington state constituents who do not want to be dragged into another forever war. ###