Willis C. Hawley

Willis C. Hawley was an American politician who served as a U.S. Congressman from Oregon. He is best known for co-sponsoring the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which significantly raised import duties on foreign goods. While intended to protect American industries, the tariff is widely believed to have worsened the Great Depression by provoking retaliatory tariffs from other countries, reducing international trade, and increasing economic hardship. Hawley's role in this legislation made him a notable figure in economic history, highlighting the complex effects of trade policy decisions.