This story was originally published by Public News Service.
By Terri Dee, producer
Public News Service
March 19, 2026
Tariff rebates would become available to Indiana residents under a proposed federal bill.
The Tariff Relief for Consumers Act would use the estimated $166 billion collected from tariffs to reimburse taxpayers and provide relief from the high everyday costs of consumer goods. The Supreme Court ruled last month that certain tariffs ordered in 2025 by President Donald Trump were illegal. In response to the decision, Trump has introduced temporary 15% global tariffs using a different legal authority.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the bill’s sponsor, said these refunds are needed by everyday Americans.
“The bill prohibits companies from receiving refunds for paying out dividends or conducting stock buybacks until they have provided relief to consumers,” she said, “because my view is that consumers and small businesses need to come before the wealthy shareholders.”
In an interview with WFIU Public Radio, Michael Hicks, professor of economics at Ball State University, said the average Hoosier family paid between $2,000 and $2,500 in tariff damages last year.
In both presidential runs, Trump received 58% of the popular vote in most of Indiana’s farm and automaking counties. Now, the president’s tariffs have driven up production costs for those same industries.
DeLauro said another piece of proposed legislation, the No Gouge Act, would reduce the sting of companies passing these costs on to consumers.
“It prohibits price gouging by the largest corporations, protects small businesses, and it’s got a methodology for enforcement,” she explained, “so it requires reporting on the impact of tariffs, and the enforcement of the bill, and the prices of consumer goods.”
Many companies have raised prices to account for new tariffs. These costs are passed on to the consumer in higher price tags on automobiles, machinery and computer and electronic products.
Public News Service is a national newswire with a local focus. Through a network of state-based newswires, PNS reports state-level, public interest news and seeks to help the average American answer the question, “how does this news impact me today?”
