Members of Gemini Shippers Group joined other industry CEO’s in signing the below letter to the President this week on duty deferral during the COVID-19 crisis.
A copy of the letter and companies that signed is included here: CEO Duty Deferral Letter to President Trump 033120 – Final
March 31, 2020
The President The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Trump,
Thank you for the unprecedented steps your Administration has taken to meet the enormous liquidity
challenges that have been created by the economic fallout of the deadly COVID 19 pandemic. These
steps have included delaying many payments, such as income tax and student loans. Until these
payments are ultimately made, these delays will give Americans access to much needed cash to help
them survive during these challenging times. In that vein, we are writing to ask for additional,
urgent help this week.
We are urgently asking you to delay the collection of duties, including those that many companies
were required to pay this past Friday, for a period of 90-180 days to give companies like ours
access to cash that would normally be paid to the U.S. government.
Delaying duties helps us preserve cash flow – critically important during a prolonged period of
little to no revenue – allowing us to keep our businesses in operation so we can preserve U.S.
jobs. At the same time, delaying duties does not undermine the effect of tariffs on trade flows
because the money is still due.
Mr. President, only you can take this swift action, but in doing so, you would provide immediate
relief to both large and small businesses, including manufacturers, retailers and other service
providers, farmers and ranchers.
Sincerely,
