[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 150 (Wednesday, September 18, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRESS MUST PASS USMCA AGREEMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, it is time. It is time for 
Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the USMCA. 
This is not, as many of you know, a new issue. The administration 
finished its work months ago--292 days ago, to be exact.
  That is 292 days that Congress has had to ask questions. That is 292 
days that we have had to assess the benefits of the agreement. That is 
292 days we have had to analyze the text of that agreement.
  During the August recess, I had conversations with hundreds, maybe 
thousands, of folks. Their message was clear: USMCA is a clearly better 
agreement, and Congress needs to do its job for the good of this 
country.
  There are a number of ways in which the President has negotiated a 
USMCA that is stronger, that is better than NAFTA.
  First, USMCA ensures that the digital economy will be more open and 
that it will be more secure.
  Second, the strong language on currency manipulation and on 
intellectual property provides a model for our way forward with other 
agreements, especially one with China.
  Third, Mr. Speaker, the benefits to the ag community are compelling. 
My colleagues have heard me speak before about the fact that our ag 
producers have not had the easiest time of it lately. They need USMCA.
  This agreement opens up new access to Canadian markets for wheat, 
wine, eggs, poultry, and dairy. It increases agricultural exports by $2 
billion a year. That is why 1,000 ag groups from across the country 
have endorsed USMCA. They know that with fair access to markets, 
American producers can compete and win.
  USMCA is not perfect, but collectively, these improvements would 
create 176,000 new American jobs and would increase our GDP by $68 
billion. That is real value, and it is value across the agricultural, 
manufacturing, and service sectors.
  The administration has done its job. It has negotiated an agreement 
that powers economic opportunity and grows American jobs.
  So, it is time. It is time for this body to act. It is time for the 
Speaker to bring this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, it is time for us 
to pass USMCA.

                          ____________________