GOP Rep. Jason Smith, chairman of the House's chief tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, says Canada's tactics in its trade dispute with the U.S. are being felt in communities across the country, including those in his Missouri congressional district. 

“The Canadians refuse to allow U.S. liquor and wine to be on their shelves,” he said recently on the John Solomon Reports podcast, while also pointing out that a company in his district that makes wine and whiskey barrels had to cut back on production, which has resulted in resulted in job losses.  

"Unfortunately, they had to eliminate a whole shift,” he said, “and so that’s people losing jobs.”

He also argued Canada is unfairly treating U.S. dairy producers and said the United States should continue pressing for a strong trade agreement.

“We’ve got to use every lever possible,” he said. “After the election, I bet they come running to us.”

Smith also said affordability was the biggest concern he had heard from constituents in his 8th Congressional District.

“What they are the most focused on right now is affordability,” he said, citing gasoline and diesel prices. “We’re an agriculture economy, and diesel is a product that we use in our tractors and our machinery of all sorts.”

Smith emphasized that farmers are struggling and they "need relief at the pump.”

He also highlighted a digital asset tax bill that advanced in this committee on a 38-5 vote. The legislation would have established new federal tax rules for digital currency.

“The president has said he wants the United States to be the crypto capital of the world,” Smith said. “And in order to be the crypto capital of the world, you need to have certainty within your tax code.”

Smith said he hopes the legislation will eventually reach the full House and Senate.

“If we have to do it in a big package or whatever package, we’ll try our best to get it done,” he said.