United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Madam President, it has now been 13 months since the administration concluded negotiations on the United States-Mexico- Canada Free Trade Agreement. It has been 13 months of uncertainty for U.S. farmers and ranchers, manufacturers, small businesses, digital firms, financial institutions, and many others. It has been 13 months of wondering what the rules of the road on trade are going to look like going forward.

We should have passed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement months ago. The Republicans in the Senate have been ready to take up this agreement for a long time, but trade agreements have to be considered by the House of Representatives first, and the House of Representatives is controlled by the Democratic Party, which is far more interested in partisan pursuits than in actually doing any meaningful legislating.

While the House Democrats are happy to consider far-left messaging bills that have no chance of going anywhere, they have no interest in working with the Republicans to actually get something signed into law. Why? The Democrats have convinced themselves that partisan posturing is more important than securing a bipartisan legislative victory, like a strong, new trade deal that will benefit the American economy. So they are currently opposing a trade agreement that would benefit millions of American workers.

Let's be very clear. The Democrats' decision to prioritize partisan politics is having real consequences for the American people. Right now, the members of our military are unable to fund new priorities because the Senate Democrats are blocking the consideration of Defense appropriations. Farmers and ranchers in my home State of South Dakota and around the country are struggling, but the House Democrats refuse to move forward on a trade deal--the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement--that would bring them relief.

Thanks to low commodity and livestock prices, natural disasters, and protracted trade disputes, farmers and ranchers have had a tough few years, and one of the biggest things we can do to help them is to take action on trade. Our Nation's farmers and ranchers depend on trade.

When I talk to farmers and ranchers at home in South Dakota, they emphasize that the most important thing Washington can do to boost our agricultural economy is to take action on trade agreements. Farmers and ranchers need access to new and expanded markets for their products, and, just as importantly, they need certainty about what international markets are going to look like going forward.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement would help to meet those needs. It would preserve and expand farmers' access to two critical export markets, and it would give farmers certainty about what these markets will look like long term.

I am particularly pleased with the improvements the agreement makes for dairy producers. South Dakota has experienced a major dairy expansion over the past few years, and this agreement will benefit U.S. dairy producers by substantially expanding market access in Canada, where U.S. dairy sales have been restricted. In fact, the U.S. International Trade Commission estimates the agreement will boost U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million.

The agreement will expand market access for U.S. poultry and egg producers, and it will make it easier for U.S. producers to export wheat to Canada.

Of course, the benefits for the agricultural industry are just one part of this agreement. From manufacturing to digital services, to the automotive industry, virtually every sector of our economy will benefit from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The USMCA breaks new ground by including a chapter specifically focused on small and medium- sized businesses. It is the first time that a U.S. trade agreement has ever included a dedicated chapter on this topic. Roughly, 120,000 small and medium-sized businesses around our country export goods and services to Mexico and to Canada. The USMCA will make it easier for these businesses to successfully export their products.

It would be nice if the House Democrats woke up tomorrow and decided that 13 months was long enough to make America's farmers and ranchers and manufacturers and small business men wait for the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement, but my hopes of seeing action from the House grow dimmer each day.

The Democrats in the House should be addressing the American people's priorities. American workers shouldn't be sacrificed for the Democrats' partisan political goals. I hope that enough of my Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives will urge their House leadership to bring up the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in the very near future. Americans have waited long enough.

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