[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 185 (Tuesday, November 19, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H9043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SECURE OUR NATION'S ECONOMY

  (Mr. STANTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the ongoing 
efforts to secure our Nation's economy. In Arizona, that means giving 
job creators, large and small, access to markets in Mexico and Canada.
  Sadly, Arizona's recent trade history was shaped by State leaders who 
damaged our relationship with Mexico with divisive, self-defeating 
rhetoric and policies, such as SB 1070. That hurt our economy and cost 
us jobs.
  So, as Phoenix mayor, I worked overtime to rebuild those 
relationships, leading 18 trade missions to Mexico and Canada. Our 
business community helped me make the case for increasing trade, and we 
saw results.
  Since 2012, while the Nation's exports grew 0.1 percent, Phoenix's 
exports grew 20 percent. In 2017, trade with Mexico and Canada produced 
nearly $10 billion in exports statewide.
  Simply put, trade with our North American allies is essential to 
Arizona's economy. Now we have a real opportunity to improve these 
relationships through the USMCA. A new trade agreement, with improved 
labor standards, can provide certainty for small and medium-sized 
businesses.
  Trade with our North American allies provides paychecks to more than 
230,000 Arizona workers, and it is Congress' duty to reassert its role 
in U.S. trade policy.
  I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Neal, and the working group for 
working so hard on getting this agreement done. I continue to be 
encouraged by the progress being made on USMCA.

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