[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E924-E925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NAFTA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRADE TO ALABAMA'S ECONOMY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2018

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to 
address the Trump Administration's renegotiation of the North American 
Free Trade Agreement. NAFTA, which governs trade between the U.S., 
Canada, and Mexico, has a substantial impact Alabama farmers, workers, 
industry, and consumers.
  Over 173,000 Alabama jobs are dependent on NAFTA, with the state 
exporting over $7.7 billion in goods and services to Canada and Mexico. 
Canada is Alabama's largest export market and Mexico is the state's 4th 
largest. If the Trump administration withdrew from NAFTA, as they have 
threatened to do, Alabama's economy would suffer. Americans would lose 
their jobs, supply chains would be disrupted, and we would see a severe 
economic downturn.
  Moreover, I am strongly opposed to the many radical proposals being 
pushed by the Trump Administration, such as the five-year sunset 
provision and the auto rules of origin proposal. A five-year sunset 
clause would deter long-term investment and promote uncertainty, 
effectively weakening the entire agreement. Also, increasing the auto 
rules of origin threshold requiring more auto parts to originate in the 
U.S. would hurt the competitiveness of the largest automotive 
manufacturers in my district. These facilities, including Mercedes and 
Hyundai, provide Alabamians with quality, high paying jobs that that my 
district cannot afford to lose.
  What we need is a free and fair modernized NAFTA that includes 
provisions like a digital trade chapter and updated intellectual 
property rights protections. It is time this administration focused on 
negotiating with our Canadian and Mexican allies to improve the 
agreement for all three countries so that we can expand markets and 
grow America's economy.
  I strongly urge the Trump Administration to stop threatening 
withdrawal from NAFTA, and

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I hope that the United States Trade Representative will focus on 
modernizing the agreement instead of pushing radical proposals that 
would hurt Alabamians.

                          ____________________