WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee for a hearing on the Republicans’ scheme to raise costs with senseless tariffs and the harmful impact on small businesses. Below is a transcript of her remarks:

"I sure am angry. I sure am mad listening to all of you. What are we doing? What are we doing here? I have some very nice comments written by my staff, but listening to your testimony — it's just astounding.

"You know, if you had a dollar for every time politicians say 'small businesses are the backbone of our economy,' you would not be sitting here today. So, let's live it.

"We talk a lot about the American Dream, but everything this administration is doing is cutting it off. It's cutting it off.

"It takes a lot of faith, it takes a lot of courage, to say, 'I have a dream, and I'm going to open a small business.' That is a huge leap of faith and what you don't expect — you expect a lot of challenges. There are things, I mean small businesses, entrepreneurs, there's so many things that come at you every single day — but what you shouldn't have is have everything turned upside down in pursuit of tax cuts for the very wealthiest Americans who already have great success.

“We're putting this nonsense in your way. And not only are you looking at tariffs that makes it so unpredictable, so uncertain that you're leaving your product for the summer on a container ship. And many of them can't even have that container ship order leave because you have to pay when it leaves the country of origin. So, that is enough of a problem.

“And then you look at all the underpinnings. We learned recently in a meeting yesterday that 1 out of 4 small business owners, their household, receives food benefits through the SNAP program. 1 out of 4. And it may not be any of you, but that is startling.

"And it goes to show close the margins are in the best of days. And, thank goodness you're here, Haley, saying 'I want to celebrate paying taxes because that means we've made it.'

"And this is [an] attack on profits, but it's also [an] attack on people when we are saying we are going to take away people's health care. We are going to make them live with this uncertainty of a tariff system that makes no sense from the beginning. And then we are going to look at taking away food programs, funding for public schools, for child care, all the other systems that get you to the table to start this business. It's so un-American. It is so against what we tell people, what we tell our children: work hard, be kind, look out for your neighbors.

"And if you take that faith to start a business and you put it together in a plan, you should have the SBA there saying: 'You know what? We're going to help you get capital.' Those are all your tax dollars that you're paying in coming back. And they should be helping you. And instead, we're shredding. We're shredding your businesses for what? So the people who already have great wealth get to have more?

"Donald Trump's family has made $1 billion every month he's been in office on the backs of all of you and all of those other businesses you represent.

"I had a small business owner in my district, Brian from Medford, and he runs a high end audio equipment business. 20 years, he's put in the blood, sweat and tears to build a business that works. 20 years! And he's especially proud because most of his products are assembled here in the United States. That is a selling point for him. They mill they're own aluminum. They assembled their own products. But they export 70% of their products to China. That is an export.

"And now he's like: 'This is not going to work. I cannot sell enough in the United States to make it. And we are not going to be competitive as an export to China.'

"So, it's just game over for him unless something changes. 20 years of being a job creator, of being an innovator, of being someone in my district that is making a difference to the people he employs and to the pride he has in making an American-made product. All gone overnight for nothing.

"So, I join Congresswoman McIver in thanking you for coming here today. We realize that all of this has personal risk. And thank you for representing and giving voice to small business owners across this country. And frankly, these tariffs don't care who you voted for. And we don't either.

"The point is, you should be able to have a rulebook that if you follow it, you don't get the rug jerked out from underneath you.

"And if you are creating a business that is successful, that we're here to help you and give you the tools for success. Not take them away.

"So, I want to also thank every single one of my colleagues for being in this fight. And I yield back to our, our co-chair, Congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

"But we are not going to let the whims of billionaires dictate our economic life in this country. And I truly thank you for being here."

To watch the full hearing, click HERE. For photos of the hearing, click HERE.