Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) applauded the House passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and issued the following statement:
“After months of delay, I am pleased we finally had the chance to vote on this updated trade agreement. The Administration's successful negotiation with two of our most significant trade partners presents countless new opportunities for American farmers, producers, and manufacturers," said Emmer.
"I was proud to vote in favor of this 21st Century trade deal. Minnesotans will benefit tremendously from better trade relations with Canada and Mexico, who are critical to our continued economic success," Emmer added.
"This deal modernizes the decades-old rules of trade between our three countries. It makes our agriculture community more competitive, provides regulatory clarity to Minnesota’s medical device industry, and will spur more than $68 billion in new economic activity and create more than 176,000 new jobs! This is a major win for America." Emmer concluded.
USMCA will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA went into effect in 1994, and did not include provisions for our modern economy, such as enhanced enforcement on intellectual property rights, newly defined rules on digital trade, and a stand-alone chapter on small and medium-sized enterprises. USMCA also includes important updates to digital property and vehicle manufacturing rules, which will provide benefits for years to come.
Improvements in USMCA also include the elimination of Canada’s Class 7 dairy pricing scheme and increased access to the Canadian market; improved market access for poultry and wheat producers, which will benefit many farmers throughout the Sixth Congressional District and Minnesota.
Congressman Emmer’s work to support USMCA includes:
On April 26, 2017, Congressman Emmer sent a letter to President Trump thanking him for his acknowledgment of Canada's protectionist dairy policies, which were addressed in USMCA. You can read the letter here.
On July 18, 2017, Congressman Emmer sent a letter to Ambassador Robert Lighthizer outlining the benefits USMCA would have for digital trade. You can read the letter here.
On March 20, 2018, Congressman Emmer sent a letter to Ambassador Robert Lighthizer asking for the continuation of investor protections that existed in NAFTA to remain in USMCA. You can read the letter here.
On March 28, 2018, Congressman Emmer joined members of his conference to send a letter to President Trump highlighting the benefits of USMCA. You can read the letter here.
On April 24, 2018, Congressman Emmer sent a letter to Ambassador Robert Lighthizer requesting USMCA eliminate Canada's Class 7 dairy program. You can read the letter here.
On June 6, 2019, Congressman Emmer joined Minnesota Representatives Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber in sending a letter to President Trump and Speaker Pelosi calling for immediate consideration of USMCA. You can read the letter here.
On November 13, 2019, Congressman Emmer called for passage of USMCA. You can watch his statement, here.
###