United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BUCHANAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. I want to say up front, I am so excited about this bipartisan effort, that is going to make a big difference for American workers.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank our leaders on our committee: Leader Brady, Chairman Neal, Chairman Blumenauer. I want to thank all of them, because this has been a team effort. It is exciting to see that once in a while.
What the House passes today will bring us one step closer to finally modernizing and balancing the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, which supports nearly $1.3 trillion in economic activity and more than 12 million American jobs.
Passing USMCA will update the United States' critical trading relationships with our North American neighbors into the 21st century, a high-standard deal that benefits American workers, businesses, and the economy.
In fact, according to the independent International Trade Commission, USMCA will boost our economy by $68 billion and create an additional 175,000 new jobs.
International trade is critical to my home State of Florida, where we export more than $12 billion worth of goods and services to Canada and Mexico, supporting more than 700,000 jobs.
Leveling the playing field for Florida and the country, as well as increasing access to our foreign markets, is critical to growing the U.S. economy and creating good-paying jobs.
Florida has 15 deepwater seaports, including Port Manatee in my district. Florida exports tens of billions of dollars in goods and services annually and adds more than $100 billion in economic value to our State.
I also congratulate President Trump because this is something for the last 3 or 4 years he has been very passionate about, and Ambassador Lighthizer because, without him and his effort, I am not sure we would be here today.
Madam Speaker, I urge support for this landmark trade agreement.
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