United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, Florida, which I have the privilege of representing, relies on trade with Canada and Mexico to survive and thrive. From transportation equipment to machinery to agricultural products, in 2017 alone, Florida exported $6.7 billion in goods to Canada and Mexico.

We are not alone. Canada was the leading market for United States goods exported, followed closely by Mexico in 2017. These allies account for 34 percent of U.S. exports and 35 percent of U.S. imports. They are our strategic partners and an important part of our successful economy here in the United States.

Continuing the long history of our successful trade relationship is essential to bringing the United States economy into the 21st century. That is why Congress should pass the USMCA. By implementing the USMCA, we would be creating 176,000 additional American jobs and continuing to grow our economy by over $68 billion.

This agreement will protect American intellectual property, update our digital trade rules, enable data to be transferred cross-border, and expand markets for American agricultural products. USMCA maintains the successful duty-free access for American farmers in Mexico and opens the Canadian market up for the first time to American dairy, wheat, chicken, egg, and turkey products. American dairy producers alone would grow their access to up to 3.59 percent of the Canadian dairy market, and the dairy farmers in my district in the 17th District of Florida can use every little bit of an opportunity to sell their products.

Improving USMCA will ease the uncertainty facing Florida farmers and ranchers, allowing them to make new investments to grow operations.

This deal is a good deal for Florida and America, and it is time that the majority bring this important measure to the floor.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source