Dec. 10, 2019 – Nice to see some bipartisan cooperation for once. The House of Representatives signaled support for a revised trade deal — called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement — that represents an overhaul of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. It would create new intellectual property protections, require more North American parts to be used in automobiles to qualify for zero tariffs, open the Canadian milk market to U.S. farmers, and create new rules for e-commerce. It would also boost wages, benefits and safety rules for workers and put in place updated environmental protections. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups announced backing for the compromise hammered out between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration. The nation’s largest labor federation backed the compromise. “We demanded a trade deal that benefits workers and fought every single day to negotiate that deal; and now we have secured an agreement that working people can proudly support,” said Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO. “There is no question that this trade agreement is much better than NAFTA. It is infinitely better than what was initially proposed by the administration,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking hours before representatives of the U.S., Mexico and Canada are expected to sign the revised deal at a meeting in Mexico City. “We’re declaring victory for the American worker.” And President Trump stated his support. “Trade Bill is looking good. It will be the best and most important trade deal ever made by the USA. Good for everybody – Farmers, Manufacturers, Energy, Unions,” he tweeted.
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement a Bipartisan Win
