[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 17, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



              United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I spent a lot of time talking to South 
Dakota farmers over the August break, and I can tell you that if there 
is one thing on farmers' minds right now, it is trade; it is markets; 
it is having a place to sell the things that we raise and grow. Farmers 
and ranchers have had a rough few years. Low commodity prices and low 
livestock prices, natural disasters, and protracted trade disputes have 
left our agricultural economy trailing behind our economy as a whole.
  As farmers emphasized to me during August, one of the biggest things 
we can do to help our agricultural economy is to implement trade 
agreements that benefit American farmers and ranchers. The United 
States is currently involved in trade negotiations on multiple fronts--
with the European Union, with China, with Japan, and with other Asian-
Pacific countries.
  Like many farmers and ranchers, I support the President's goal of 
addressing trade imbalances and securing more favorable conditions for 
American products abroad, but we need to conclude these agreements as 
soon as possible. The longer negotiations drag on, the tougher the 
situation for farmers, who face retaliatory tariffs as well as a lot of 
uncertainty about what markets are going to look like.
  We have had some recent successes. In August, the administration 
announced a deal to increase U.S. beef sales to Europe. In May, the 
administration announced a deal with Japan to remove all remaining age 
restrictions on U.S. beef, giving American ranchers full access to the 
Japanese market for the first time in more than a decade. Yet that is 
just a tiny fraction of what needs to get done on the trade front when 
it comes to agriculture.
  Every time I speak with the President and his administration, I 
emphasize what South Dakota farmers have told me: We need to conclude 
negotiations on the various trade deals that we are working on, and we 
need to do it now. We need to open new markets, expand existing ones, 
and give farmers and ranchers certainty about what those markets are 
going to look like.
  While we are still in negotiations on a number of agreements, one 
deal that we don't need to wait for is the United States-Mexico-Canada 
Free Trade Agreement. This agreement has already been fully negotiated 
by our three countries, and Congress can take it up at any point.
  The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is a clear and significant 
win for our farmers and ranchers. Canada and Mexico are the No. 1 and 
No. 2 export markets for American food and agricultural products. This 
agreement will preserve and expand farmers' access to these critical 
markets and will give farmers certainty about what these markets will 
look like in the long term.
  I am particularly pleased with the improvements the agreement makes 
for U.S. dairy producers. South Dakota has experienced a massive dairy 
expansion over the past few years, and this agreement will benefit U.S. 
dairy producers by substantially expanding market access in Canada, 
which is where U.S. dairy sales have been restricted. The U.S. 
International Trade Commission estimates that the agreement will boost 
U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million. The agreement will also 
expand market access for U.S. poultry and egg producers, and it will 
make it easier for U.S. producers to export wheat to Canada.
  Of course, while I have been talking a lot about farmers, the 
benefits of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will not be 
limited to the agricultural industry. Virtually every sector of our 
economy will benefit from this agreement--from manufacturing to digital 
services, to the automotive industry. It will create 176,000 new U.S. 
jobs, will grow our economy, and will raise wages for workers.
  The Republicans in the Senate are ready to consider the United 
States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. We are just waiting for the House 
Democrats to stop threatening to oppose the agreement and to show a 
willingness to put it to an up-or-down vote in the House of 
Representatives.
  The administration has made addressing the Democrats' concerns a 
priority throughout the negotiation process, and it seems to me that if 
you are a Democrat who is unhappy with the status quo, voting for the 
USMCA is the best way to fix it.
  I am encouraged by the fact that the Democrats appear to be working 
with the administration to reach a resolution on this agreement, and I 
hope they will continue to work with the White House to bring this 
agreement to a vote as soon as possible in the House of 
Representatives. America's farmers and ranchers need the United States-
Mexico-Canada Agreement. While it won't be a cure-all for all of the 
problems that are facing farm country, it will be a significant step 
forward.
  Congress should pass this agreement as soon as possible and allow 
farmers and ranchers and the rest of the American economy to start 
realizing the benefits.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.