Amidst ongoing recovery efforts in North Carolina’s 11th District post-Hurricane Helene, Rep. Chuck Edwards has voted to maintain tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump. These tariffs have been identified as a hindrance to rebuilding efforts in the region.
On February 11, Edwards joined 209 other House Republicans in opposing a bipartisan resolution that sought to lift the tariffs on Canada. This was not the first time Edwards voted against such measures; he had previously opposed two similar resolutions. Although the resolution passed the House, its prospects in the Republican-majority Senate remain slim.
Representing the western tip of North Carolina, Edwards’ district was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The hurricane resulted in over 100 fatalities and caused damages estimated at $53 billion.
Recovery in the region has been slow, with high construction costs partly due to the tariffs. Prices for essential materials like steel and lumber have surged by 20% over the past year, exacerbating the rebuilding challenges.
Nick Scroggs, a general contractor working in the area, highlighted the economic impact of these tariffs during a discussion with WLOS. “In these times, whenever there’s potential tariffs affecting the cost of goods and services and whatnot, we have to price a little more risk into our models, which gets passed on to the customer,” he explained.
In October, a 10% tariff was imposed on Canadian softwood lumber, a crucial material for home construction. Additional tariffs on other segments of the Canadian lumber industry range from 26% to 48%.
In defense of the tariff policy, Edwards stated on CNN in April 2025 that it aligns with the voters’ expectations. “I believe that our president was very clear when he asked to be our president that he would be using tariffs to make America more competitive,” Edwards remarked. “I trust that he will do exactly that. I know that there’s just a lot of angst out there right now, but we’re really early into this process.”
Research by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation indicates that Trump’s tariffs have cost the average American household an additional $1,000 annually.
The post Chuck Edwards backs tariffs as western NC struggles to rebuild appeared first on American Journal News.
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