State of Rhode Island secondary Archives: on Free Trade
Gina Raimondo:
In Israel for economic development mission
The governor's spokesman said: "They met with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss economic partnership opportunities with their states and met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin." Raimondo also signed a memorandum of understanding
with Ben-Gurion University, in Beersheba, for collaboration with Rhode Island's universities and innovation-campus programs. The governor's office has described the trip as an economic-development mission for Raimondo.
Source: Providence Journal on 2022 Rhode Island Governor race
Nov 21, 2019
Jack Reed:
Retrain workers who lose jobs due to foreign competition
In January, Swarovski North America, a large global producer and distributor of crystal jewelry, announced that it was planning to eliminate 178 jobs at its headquarters in Cranston. In response, Reed requested worker retraining funds and other
assistance for the employees who have lost their jobs as part of a plan to cut costs & globalize business.Reed stated, "With an economy that has not yet fully recovered, this additional federal assistance will give these workers a chance to continue
to provide for themselves and their families while receiving help and the training they need to find new jobs."
Reed requested additional federal assistance through the TAA program, a program designed to assist workers hurt by foreign competition. TAA
funds go towards job training, job-search help, relocation aid and cash to workers who lose their job due to foreign competition. To be eligible for the program the US Labor Department must find that the jobs were lost as a result of foreign competition.
Source: Vote-USA.org on 2020 Rhode Island Senate race
Mar 21, 2006
Jack Reed:
Tariffs are going to hurt our economy tremendously
Reed suggested that a potential 25 percent tariff on lumber, which Canada exports to the US, could make construction of new homes expensive and, in turn, harm efforts in New England to build more affordable housing.
The Trump administration's actions could also spark retaliatory tariffs, he said, which would put upward pressure on inflation and make things expensive. "Tariffs are going to hurt our economy tremendously," he said.
Source: Boston Globe, "Tariffs," on 2026 Rhode Island Senate race
Mar 24, 2025
Dan McKee:
Trump's tariffs are raising costs on key imported items
McKee said Trump's proposed tariffs are already raising costs on key imported items such as hybrid ferry parts, lumber, oil, and goods relied on by breweries and grocery stores--threatening price stability and Rhode Island's advanced manufacturing
sector. "We are hoping to work with our counterparts across New England and eastern Canada to ensure we continue to raise incomes, attract the best and the brightest, and remain competitive on a national and international level," McKee added.
Source: WPRI-12, "Canadian," on 2026 Rhode Island Gubernatorial race
Jun 16, 2025
Dan McKee:
Trump's erratic tariff policies are raising prices
But while we're working to bring costs down, President Trump has made life more expensive at every turn. His erratic tariff policies have swept through the economy, raising prices on groceries and household goods. In the first eight months of the
Trump presidency, the average household paid an additional $700 due to higher costs. As Governor, I'm not going to stand by and let President Trump price Rhode Islanders out of their way of life
Source: 2026 State of the State Address to Rhode Island legislature
Jan 13, 2026
Page last updated: Mar 13, 2026