Washington, D.C.—Americans for Free Trade haswritten a letterto President Trump, requesting that he delay due dates for all duties and fees and that the program be extended to cover imports made during May and June. The Natural Products Association has signed the letter.

The letter notes that the announcement to delay certain duties was a “welcome step to help American companies stabilize their finances and buy time,” but that “certain important duties have been excluded,” and it only covers imports made during the first half of March and April.

The letter argues that deferring the due dates for all duties and fees, including on imports made during May and June, would “immediately free up billions of dollars of working capital for American companies… to pay suppliers, employees, service providers, and other critical stakeholders.” Moreover, the cash would be important for companies that have had to close their doors altogether.
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The letter continues: “Deferring these duties will help further ensure the success of your Great American Economic Revival effort by giving companies the additional cash they need to stay open, preserve U.S. jobs and reopen their doors from a position of strength.”

In addition to the Natural Products Association, the letter was signed by companies from across America and a range of associations, including several retailers’ associations.