United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement

Floor Speech

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Ms. ERNST. Thank you to the senior Senator from North Dakota for his great work in pulling us all together. A number of us on the floor really appreciate the agricultural sector. We heard from my senior Senator just a bit ago.

Why am I so enthused about the USMCA? It is because, in the great State of Iowa, one out of every five jobs is tied to trade.

Over 87,000--87,000--farms make Iowa our Nation's top egg, pork, corn, soybean, and ethanol producer.

With Canada and Mexico being two of our biggest trading partners, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement--or what we have been talking about here, the USMCA--is a huge deal for the State of Iowa.

Last year alone, my home State of Iowa exported $6.6 billion worth of products to just Canada and Mexico. That is more than we exported to our next 27 top export markets all combined--27 combined, and it still wasn't greater than what we send to Mexico and Canada.

This deal will allow those numbers to grow exponentially by creating new export opportunities for our dairy industry, greater access for our egg producers, and reducing nontariff trade barriers that previously hampered our exporting abilities.

So it is critical--it is critical--that we get the USMCA across the finish line, not just for the sake of getting a tremendous win for our agriculture community but finalizing a deal that will impact the livelihoods of our hard-working Iowans and all Americans across the country.

Ninety-five percent of the world's population lives outside of the United States of America, which makes our exports all that more important.

Having USMCA in place means certainty--certainty in a time where prices have been low and markets have been eroded from other trade negotiations.

This trade deal preserves our duty-free access to Mexican and Canadian markets, which many of our ag producers and manufacturers benefit from.

I have heard from countless equipment dealers and processors all the way down to the farmers growing the crops and raising our hogs. Ratifying this agreement will be a shot of positive energy into their businesses, their homes, and to folks all across rural America.

When it comes to trade with our neighbors to the north and the south, it is simple. We need the USMCA passed through Congress as soon as possible.

It has already been ratified by Mexico; they are done. The deal is done with Mexico, and it looks like Canada is set to follow suit.

The USMCA was signed on November 30 of 2018. That is right--2018. That is 228 days ago--228 days. I would say it is about time that Speaker Pelosi and our friends in the House signal their full support for this agreement.

It is time to get moving. We have to get this deal done. We have to get it across the finish line. Iowa's farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses are counting on us to get this done.

With that, I would like to say: Go, USMCA. Thank you to the senior Senator from North Dakota for gathering us together. I think this is a really important topic for all of us to focus on.

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