[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 43 (Monday, March 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RATIFY NEWLY NEGOTIATED USMCA

  (Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, since it is National 
Agriculture Week, I thought I would highlight how important market 
access is to South Dakota.
  Now, the numbers don't lie. South Dakota is our Nation's 10th largest 
ag exporting State. In fact, we send out $4 billion of ag products 
every single year.
  NAFTA deserves a lot of credit for that. In fact, our Nation at large 
exports more than $38 billion every year to Canada and Mexico.
  We need to keep that momentum going, which is why this body needs to 
ratify the newly negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
  USMCA is clearly better than NAFTA was. Let's be clear: That doesn't 
mean that it is perfect, but it does mean that it is clearly better for 
our country.
  President Trump and his administration have made a number of much-
needed improvements to that trading agreement. Let's send a clear 
message that the United States and South Dakota are open for business.
  Mr. Speaker, let's get to work.

                          ____________________