Earthquaker Devices Sounds the Alarm

Floor Speech

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Mrs. SYKES. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to lift up the voice of Julie Robbins, a small business owner from Akron, Ohio, who is sounding the alarm on behalf of hardworking Americans across the country.

EarthQuaker Devices is a homegrown success story in downtown Akron, located in Ohio's 13th Congressional District. They manufacture guitar effect pedals, which are sold across the world, and everything from design to assembly is done right here in the United States.

EarthQuaker Devices employs 34 workers and offers premium health insurance, paid sick leave, a 401(k) match, and competitive wages.

In 2019, they were recognized as the SBA Exporter of the Year. In 2022, after decades of success, they invested in a state-of-the-art automated production line.

This is what American manufacturing should look like, and it is the kind of manufacturing that helped build the middle class in Ohio and across the heartland.

When we talk about supporting American businesses, EarthQuaker is who we should be talking about, and that is why I am talking about them today.

Today, they are facing devastating consequences. Mr. Speaker, you may ask why. It is because of reckless tariff policies.

EarthQuaker Devices imports raw materials because there are no domestic suppliers for the specialized electronic components that they need, but they export even more than they import. That means they bring in more money to our economy. They create jobs right here at home and in my district.

The President's tariffs have increased their cost of goods by $500,000. Let me be more specific. The cost per pedal that currently costs $0.02 would increase to $12.80 by the end of the year, according to an article in the Akron Beacon Journal. That is a 640 percent increase in costs.

With no relief in sight, they are being forced to raise prices, cut staff, and halt domestic innovation, all because of a policy that was supposed to help American manufacturing.

Julie wrote to me earlier this year, and she said: ``Our effective tax rate has skyrocketed, with no explanation or benefit to us. . . . Where is the relief for businesses? Does the government truly not understand the impact of their actions, or is it their goal to destroy us?''

She goes on to say: ``For the first time, I am considering offshoring our manufacturing. This had never been an option for me, but these changes imposed on American businesses make it extremely difficult to manufacture here.''

Mr. Speaker, think about that for a moment. The President's tariff policy, which he alleges is meant to drive domestic innovation and manufacturing, is causing a small but mighty business in Akron to consider offshoring their manufacturing.

This doesn't help Ohio's 13th District and the State of Ohio, and it does not help the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, let's be very clear. Tariffs are a useful tool to level the playing field, and, when properly implemented, they can create jobs and spur manufacturing. As someone from northeast Ohio, I have seen the consequences of bad trade deals and the impact of NAFTA. We are also home to President William McKinley, who the President often quotes and references in his trade policy, but it is 2025, and it is not making America great again to push American manufacturing offshore.

Ohio exports more to Canada than its next six largest foreign markets combined. This country slapped tariffs on our allies. They retaliated, and it is our workers, businesses, and communities who pay the price. Foreign governments are not paying for these taxes, as the President has claimed.

In 2023, Ohio exported over $58 billion of goods and services. That is not just trade. It is opportunity, jobs, and growth, and it is all being put at risk because of impulsive executive orders and a Congress that refuses to check and balance the administration.

If our goal is to stop offshoring and revitalize American manufacturing, why are we punishing the companies that are driving innovation, the ones who are footing the bill?

EarthQuaker Devices isn't some multinational conglomerate dodging taxes and hiding profits offshore. They are a small business that turned a passion for music and creativity into a business. They are our neighbors. They care about our community, and they give back. We should make it easier for them, not harder.

To lower costs, let's go after the price-gouging billionaires and corporate monopolies, not small business owners keeping our communities alive.

Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to listen to the voices of our constituents like Julie. Julie closed her letter to me with a plea not just for her business but for future generations and for the future of manufacturing in this country.

Let us not fail them. Let us not fail Americans.

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