[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 199 (Wednesday, December 6, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9671]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 NAFTA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. LaHood) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, the American economy stands today at a 
crucial moment.
  With globalization and advancement in technology, the world economy 
continues to become more intertwined than ever, as countries trade 
goods and services at rates never seen before.
  It is easy to look at this change and turn inward in an attempt to 
shore up America's position in the world economy, but that will only 
set us up for more struggles down the line.
  Here in America, we make and produce the best goods in the world, but 
tariffs and regulations put American goods at a disadvantage in too 
many countries. That is why it is so crucial we continue to support 
free and fair trade, working to better our trade agreements, like the 
North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, to help American 
businesses and families.
  In my district, Illinois' 18th Congressional district, agriculture 
remains the largest portion of our economy. In fact, we are the eighth 
largest agriculture district in the country. Some of the most fertile 
farmland in the entire world is located in the 18th District.
  As great as the products we grow may be, our farmers and agriculture 
industry must have markets to sell their goods. That is why free trade 
agreements like NAFTA come in, removing barriers that allow our corn 
and soybeans to be sold all over the world at competitive prices.
  Since the implementation of NAFTA, American agriculture exports have 
more than quadrupled from $8.9 million to $38 billion annually, 
bringing more money back to our rural and agriculture communities. It 
is so important that this amount of money comes back to our district 
and it is the reason why our agriculture sector now supports over 21 
million jobs here at home.
  Other sectors of our economy are just as affected by trade, 
especially in manufacturing. With 95 percent of the world's consumers 
living outside of the United States, protectionist tariffs and policies 
in other countries put American goods at a disadvantage.
  Since NAFTA's implementation, we have seen these barriers come down 
and more markets opening up to our exports. That is why our trade 
agreement partners receive half of all exports of American manufactured 
goods. The benefits of this are passed on to hardworking families, with 
jobs linked to trade paying 15 to 20 percent more and accounting for 
more than 38 million jobs across our country.
  While NAFTA and free trade have allowed for this kind of prosperity 
and growth, we must also be mindful of the problems that can arise. For 
example, recent Canadian policies creating quotas for American poultry 
and dairy have threatened those industries here at home. That is why it 
is time to take a fresh look at our trade agreements, not with an eye 
to withdrawing from the global economy, but with the goal of making our 
trade fairer and better.
  As President Trump and his team continue to renegotiate the terms of 
the NAFTA deal, it is my hope that they can keep in mind the 
businesses, farming operations, and families of districts like 
Illinois' 18th. Free trade is a win-win for our Nation, and it is vital 
that we work hard to make these agreements fairer to keep America at 
the forefront of the world economy.

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