| House approves USMCA Trade Deal |
Dear Friends,
As 2019 comes to a close, I'm pleased to announce that we are ending on a good note. Today, the House of Representatives approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), replacing the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Passage of USMCA means more than 100,000 Arkansas farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers can celebrate this holiday season knowing that increased exports, more jobs, and rising wages are coming in 2020 and beyond.
As a member of the USMCA Republican House Whip Team, I've been on the front lines of this hard-negotiated trade deal for the past three years because it has the greatest potential to directly improve the lives of central Arkansas families.
This agreement is a much-needed 21st century update of NAFTA and will keep the United States and our North American markets competitive for decades to come. In the midst of the greatest economy in our lifetime with record unemployment and rising wages, this agreement ensures this prosperity extends to communities in central Arkansas that build, grow, and farm American-made goods.
This trade deal was one of President Trump's top priorities for the American people, and I want to congratulate him and U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer on this historic victory.
In Arkansas, USMCA will:
- Support the $2.1 billion in exports shipped from Arkansas to Canada and Mexico every year.
- Open Canada’s market to sell dairy, wheat, chicken, eggs, and turkey from Arkansas farmers.
- Modernize intellectual property (IP) protections allowing Arkansas's growing technology industry to continue driving new innovation and job creation.
- Ensure tariff-free trade for Arkansas manufacturers which could have faced up to $225 million in extra taxes without USMCA.
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Click HERE or on the video below to watch my remarks from the House floor today celebrating passage of USMCA.
Read what other Arkansans are saying about how USMCA will improve the lives of Arkansans:
"The Arkansas Farm Bureau is very supportive of USMCA.Just last week at our state convention, our delegates reiterated to me the importance of getting this trade agreement ratified as quickly as possible. Canada and Mexico are the nation’s two largest agricultural trading partners. Arkansas agriculture provides more than $20 billion annually to our state’s economy. Passage of USMCA will help stabilize the marketplace and will allow the United States to focus efforts on other important trade agreements around the world."
-Arkansas Farm Bureau President
Rich Hillman |
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"This is a vital piece of legislation for Arkansas businesses. It is a real shot in the arm for Arkansas farm families. Canada and Mexico are our biggest trading partners, and this will be especially important to our farm sector. This is a solid achievement and the Arkansas State Chamber appreciates all of the hard work from the Arkansas delegation to get this moved forward."
-Arkansas State Chamber President
Randy Zook |
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This year, I've been focused on championing America's trade priorities and advocating for the passage of USMCA.
In November, I joined KARK's Capitol View to discuss the positive impact that USMCA will have on Arkansas's tens of thousands of farmers and producers who will benefit from the new trade deal. Click HERE on the video below to watch my remarks.
This past May, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published an op-ed I wrote highlighting the importance of finalizing USMCA in order to open trade markets for Arkansas exports—including services, agricultural, manufacturing, and energy. That op-ed can be read HERE.
"On balance, the USMCA is a successful renegotiation of the North American
Free Trade Agreement. It is superior to the existing arrangement and is a far
better proposal than the alternative of scrapping NAFTA and returning to
World Trade Organization rules. This agreement is good for American workers,
taxpayers, businesses, and consumers and will keep the United States and
our North American markets competitive for decades to come." |
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