In the News

Colorado Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen is calling out President Donald Trump for the high cost of tariffs as families struggle to pay for back-to-school supplies.

“I write to express my deep alarm at the damage your reckless tariffs are inflicting on American families as they prepare to send their kids back to school. You promised to lower costs on day one. But as summer comes to a close, many parents are facing astronomical costs on everything from school supplies to groceries,” Pettersen, a Jefferson County Democrat, wrote in a letter to President Trump on Tuesday.

A US News survey found 62% of Americans are expecting to pay more for back-to-school items than last year.

The survey also found that two-thirds of parents started shopping early this year to avoid tariffs.

"As a mom, I know how stressful back-to-school shopping can be. For many parents in my district, the rising costs have forced them to make hard choices about where and how they spend their money,” Petersen said.

Velyce O’Neal is a mother of five children living in Westminster, which is part of Rep. Pettersen’s district. O’Neal says everything feels more expensive this year.

"Last year, I spent roughly about $700, and by the time I got done this year, I was sitting around $1,400; it doubled,” O’Neal said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that tariff rates have increased the price of back-to-school items by an average of 18%. The cost of backpacks has risen by 12%, pens by 7%, and binders by 3%.

Tariffs on clothing have increased prices by 25% on average.

O’Neal recently lost her job and says the extra cost is burdensome for her family.

“We are all struggling, across the board, just to get my kids what they need,” she said. “Before I could afford to shop at Children's Place. This year, I had to go to Burlington and Ross and thrift stores and things like that to try to find clothes for my kids' school year.”

O’Neal says because of federal cuts, there has been less assistance for families like hers.

The Yale Budget Lab estimates tariffs will cost each American household about $2,400 this year.

Trump’s tariffs are aimed at allies and foes alike, a bedrock of his 2024 campaign that he said would set the foundation for reviving a U.S. economy that he claims has been ripped off by other nations for decades.