Executive Session
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Montanans are growing restless, as Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrats continue to slow-walk a very important trade agreement for Montana and for our country. That is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
In fact, just last week, I was in Billings to celebrate the Montana Farm Bureau Federation's 100 year anniversary--and, again, another big congratulations to the Montana Farm Bureau. As I was talking with folks at the farm bureau event, there were a lot of cowboy boots and hats. These are the farmers and ranchers of Montana, the salt of the earth folks. They are all asking the same question: Why is it taking so long? What is going on?
Frankly, there is one answer: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are playing political games and holding up this trade deal. They are holding this trade deal hostage. It has been a year since the USMCA was signed by President Trump and leaders of Canada and Mexico--a year. Nancy Pelosi has had this signed trade agreement in her hands for about a year, and rather than deliver this win for our farmers and ranchers in Montana and across the United States, she is focused on one thing: impeachment--because, at the end of the day, this is about our farmers and ranchers. It is time we get the job done because, in Montana, agriculture is the No. 1 driver of our economy, and it is a large part of our Montana way of life.
This trade agreement is expected to create over 180,000 new American jobs and to boost our GDP by over $70 billion. Canada and Mexico both are in high demand for our products like wheat, barley, beef. In fact, in 2018 alone, Montana had $731 million in total exports to Canada and to Mexico. For our producers and our ag-related industries in Montana, passing this trade agreement would help provide certainty and alleviate the challenges and obstacles they have faced over a very tough season.
Mexico is ready. Canada is ready. The United States is ready. I can tell you, Montana is ready. Unfortunately, Nancy Pelosi is not. While the Democrats continue to obsess over impeaching our President, they continue to ignore the voices of our rural communities. This unnecessary reality TV show is nothing but a waste of time to stall the important work like the USMCA. Montanans are sick and tired of the politics and the partisan games being played here in Washington, DC, and frankly, I am, too.
I am grateful for the leadership of my good friend and colleague, Greg Gianforte, who is standing up to House Democrats and fighting boldly for the USMCA. Realize, Montana has but one Member in the U.S. House of Representatives, and he is fighting a good fight over there.
We are both fighting to ensure that the votes of Montana farmers and ranchers are heard loud and clear in both Chambers of Congress. The longer the House Democrats stall on this deal, the further we stall opportunity and economic growth in Montana and across our Nation.
To Speaker Pelosi, to my colleagues in the House, enough is enough. Let's deliver the USMCA for the American people and for Montana farmers and ranchers.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source