Pass Usmca Now

Floor Speech

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Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, this week, I hope and I pray that we are on the verge of passing the United States-Mexico-Canada trade deal, a deal that will literally mean millions of dollars in new market opportunities for Kansas agriculture products, new customs and trade rules for our small businesses, and thousands of new jobs for Kansas that will allow more goods and materials to be manufactured in this great country.

Today, once again, I join nearly 160 of my colleagues in signing a letter urging Speaker Pelosi to hold a vote on this trade agreement. The agreement will set farmers, ranchers, workers, and businesses in Kansas up for long-term success. This will lead to more exports, more jobs, and higher wages. It would be a great Christmas present for all of Kansas and for all the hardworking Americans across this great Nation.

With now just 2 weeks remaining, the House has so far squandered this entire first session of the 116th Congress. There is no excuse for holding a trade agreement up that is expected to create 176,000 jobs, deliver a $70 billion boost to our economy, and make us stronger in our trade negotiations with China.

Speaker Pelosi, I beg you, stop putting politics ahead of our producers. The House has a great chance to secure a victory for the American people. Let's deliver a win for our economy, pass the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, and give America a great Christmas present this year. Celebrating the Companionship of Pets

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Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, this week is pet week in our office, to celebrate our furry companions and the happiness they bring to our lives.

In this spirit, this is an opportunity to recognize that the pet food industry is simply huge for Kansas. Pet food manufacturers in the animal health corridor stretching from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri, and from Emporia, Kansas, to Omaha, Nebraska, account for more than half of all pet industry sales in the United States and provide thousands of jobs to Kansans.

Many of our State's finest agriculture commodities go into our domestic animal food production network. As companion animal pet products gain a larger foothold in the overall food market, it is vital we continue to do all we can to capitalize on that growth and deliver high-paying new jobs for Kansas and encourage the development of the industry to not only benefit our farmers but all of Kansas.

Aside from the obvious economic reasons to support the pet food industry in our State, there are genuine benefits of companion animals to humans. Pet ownership has grown for a reason. Many studies show that having a companion animal, a pet, in the home can reduce depression and blood pressure and provide other mental health benefits. Additionally, there is incredible work being done with companion animals for our military servicemembers when they return home suffering from PTSD and other mental and physical challenges.

Some of the most successful and innovative pet companies in the world are in Kansas, incorporating our agriculture products in their pet food supply. There is a direct link between the pet food industry and the Kansas economy, and I will continue to work to expand those opportunities for the industry, both domestically and, very importantly, internationally.

The House has a chance to secure and encourage pet innovation going on across the country. We look forward to that market growing.

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