Secure Our Nation's Economy

Floor Speech

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Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the ongoing efforts to secure our Nation's economy. In Arizona, that means giving job creators, large and small, access to markets in Mexico and Canada.

Sadly, Arizona's recent trade history was shaped by State leaders who damaged our relationship with Mexico with divisive, self-defeating rhetoric and policies, such as SB 1070. That hurt our economy and cost us jobs.

So, as Phoenix mayor, I worked overtime to rebuild those relationships, leading 18 trade missions to Mexico and Canada. Our business community helped me make the case for increasing trade, and we saw results.

Since 2012, while the Nation's exports grew 0.1 percent, Phoenix's exports grew 20 percent. In 2017, trade with Mexico and Canada produced nearly $10 billion in exports statewide.

Simply put, trade with our North American allies is essential to Arizona's economy. Now we have a real opportunity to improve these relationships through the USMCA. A new trade agreement, with improved labor standards, can provide certainty for small and medium-sized businesses.

Trade with our North American allies provides paychecks to more than 230,000 Arizona workers, and it is Congress' duty to reassert its role in U.S. trade policy.

I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Neal, and the working group for working so hard on getting this agreement done. I continue to be encouraged by the progress being made on USMCA.

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