The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® CEO and Vice Chair:

“As the August 1 reciprocal tariff deadline approaches, policymakers face a choice: double down on trade uncertainty or restore certainty that American innovators need to thrive. CTA urges the Administration to choose a forward-looking trade agenda—rooted in fairness, and in collaboration with trusted partners. Predictable trade rules give businesses the clarity they need to plan, invest, and bring groundbreaking technologies to market.

American innovators don’t succeed in isolation. We succeed when markets are open, rules are fair, and partnerships are strong. That’s how we fuel growth, create, jobs, and cement the U.S. as the global leader of startups and emerging technologies. Yet today, many businesses face a maze of trade requirements—from tariff stacking and quotas to export controls and purchasing mandates—that amount to managed trade. These burdens are especially crushing for startups and small businesses that lack the resources to navigate complex compliance rules or absorb escalating costs. We urge lawmakers to recognize how these policies stifle the very entrepreneurship that fuels our economy.

August 1 should be a milestone—not for more tariffs, but for predictable trade policy. Let’s build a system that powers innovation, strengthens our economy, and keeps the U.S. at the forefront of global progress.”