TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Washington state is the most trade dependent state in the Union, with forty percent of its jobs tied to trade, and the highest export value per capita in the nation (six thousand dollars per capita); and

WHEREAS, Washington state in 2017 exported about 77 billion dollars in Washington-made goods, with tens of billions of dollars of goods made in other states that are transported through Washington for export overseas; and

WHEREAS, Washington state's agricultural economy is the backbone of many of the rural portions of the state; and

WHEREAS, Its export of agricultural products to China has been severely harmed by the retaliatory tariffs imposed in the growing trade conflicts with that country, with a total potential risk to Washington state exports of 1 billion dollars (2017 values), and commodity-specific impacts as follows:

(1) Cherries. China was the number one market for Washington cherries in 2017, with exports of nearly 100 million dollars, and with a total tariff of forty percent now in effect the industry expects the China market to be completely closed in 2019;

(2) Apples. Apple exports to China are down sixty-seven percent for the third quarter of 2018, under a total tariff of fifty percent, and the state's apple commission estimated that sales overseas are down twenty-eight percent, with losses of 130 million dollars due to increased tariffs;

(3) Seafood. China is the number two market for Washington seafood, importing over 154 million dollars in 2017, and with China's retaliatory tariffs the exports declined forty percent in the third quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017;

(4) Wheat. Wheat exports to China have completely ceased since May 2018. Previously ninety percent of the state's wheat has gone to China, with state's wheat farmers supporting over eight thousand jobs, and wheat exports from the state (grown in Washington and in other states) had totaled 66 million dollars in the third quarter of 2017;

(5) Dairy. Washington's dairy industry exports to China are down seventy-three percent in the third quarter of 2018 compared to 2017, with the imposition of China's retaliatory tariffs; and

(6) Soybeans. China's imposed twenty-eight percent tariff on soybeans has led to a ninety-one percent decrease in soybean exports from the Puget Sound area; and

WHEREAS, These reduced exports of Washington's agricultural production has impacts throughout the state's economy and communities, being felt from the farms to the ports that handle these commodities, from far Eastern Washington to the shipping areas on the Pacific Coast; and

WHEREAS, A suspension by the United States and China of some of the additional tariffs until March 1st has provided an opportunity for the two countries to resolve trade differences in a manner that may restore the fair competition of Washington state's agricultural production with other countries;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States Congress pass, and the President of the United States work with China to achieve an additional minimum nine month suspension of all tariffs imposed since the beginning of 2018, and further work toward a long-term trade agreement that will provide for fair access of Washington's and other states' agricultural commodities to China and other markets largely closed due to recent tariffs.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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