McKee joins MA governor in seeking tariff refunds for RI households

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Governor Dan McKee joined Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey in urging the Trump administration to issue tariff refunds to Rhode Island households.

Healey sent a letter Tuesday to Scott Bessent requesting that more than $4.8 billion in tariff revenue be returned to residents of Massachusetts. She said the refund would equal about $1,745 per household across the state.

The Massachusetts governor argued that the tariffs increased costs for consumers and businesses and called on federal officials to return the money to families.

McKee calls for refunds to Rhode Island residents

McKee followed with his own letter Wednesday, saying Rhode Island residents should also receive refunds.

The governor said the state has more than 440,000 households, which could mean refunds totaling more than $770 million if households received similar payments.

McKee said a refund of roughly $1,751 per household would help many Rhode Islanders cover everyday expenses such as groceries, rent, and other household costs.

Tariffs struck down by Supreme Court

The letters come about two weeks after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that global tariffs imposed by Donald Trump under an emergency powers law were unconstitutional.

The court’s majority said the president does not have the authority to impose or change tariffs on his own because the Constitution gives the power to levy taxes to Congress.

In the majority opinion, John Roberts wrote that the Constitution did not give any part of the taxing authority to the executive branch.

Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas dissented.

Governors push for repayment plan

Both governors are urging the Treasury Department to develop a plan to return the tariff revenue to households.

They argue that the funds should be refunded now that the tariffs have been ruled unlawful.

In May 2025, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) missed a U.S. Senate vote on President Donald Trump’s global tariffs while attending the Our Ocean Summit in South Korea.