[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 194 (Thursday, December 5, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6882-S6883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the need to pass the 
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
  It is frustrating that we have to continue to speak about this issue. 
We have been so close for a long time now, but the lack of action on 
the part of the House leadership continues to unnecessarily delay its 
ratification.
  Our neighbors to the north and south are our natural allies and 
trading partners; yet our trade policy with them has not been updated 
in 25 years. The President and his team have worked very hard to get 
Canada and Mexico to the negotiating table to modernize our trade 
agreement in a mutually beneficial manner. That hard work has paid off 
in the form of the USMCA. It is ready for ratification, and the Senate 
is eager to get that done.
  Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of the House, which must act 
first. The House leadership's refusal to move this trade deal is 
preventing additional job creation in our country, and it is sending 
the wrong signal to our trading partners across the globe. We ought to 
be spurring economic activity by striking fair trade agreements 
globally, not sitting on our hands and refusing to approve an agreement 
between two of our top trading partners.
  A fair and mutually beneficial trade agreement with our neighbors to 
the north and south is very important to my home State of Arkansas. 
Canada and Mexico are No. 1 and No. 2 on the list of the top 10 
destinations for Arkansas' exports. Arkansas is one of a handful of 
States that in recent years has consistently exported more than what it 
has imported from Canada and Mexico.
  The World Trade Center Arkansas, which has played a valuable role in 
connecting businesses in my State with international partners for over 
a decade, recently released a report that summarizes trade and jobs 
data for the Natural State.
  The center's report underscores the value trade brings to my State's 
economy and reinforces the fact that the path to a more prosperous, 
long-term outlook for Arkansas is through opening additional markets 
for our farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses. The report notes 
that, as of September 2019, trade in Arkansas supported nearly 350,000 
jobs. This represents approximately 26 percent of the State's total 
employed labor force. It points to a direct correlation between job 
numbers and trade, documenting that trade-related jobs in the State 
have grown six times faster than total employment over the past few 
years.
  More importantly, for our purposes here today, the report underscores 
just how crucial Canada and Mexico are for Arkansas' economy. The 
Natural State's exports to Canada amounted to $1.2 billion last year. 
Our exports to Mexico totaled $870 million in that same time span. 
Combined, these two countries account for a third of Arkansas' total 
exports. Nearly 69,000 jobs in my State are dependent on trade with 
Canada, and another 41,000 are tied to trade with Mexico.
  Melvin Torres, the center's director of Western Hemisphere and 
European Trade, praised Arkansas' effective partnership with both 
countries for creating this ``symbiotic and successful relationship.'' 
That relationship will only grow with the ratification of the USMCA.

[[Page S6883]]

  Canada and Mexico aren't just important markets for my State. Each of 
our States stands to gain with the ratification of the USMCA. This 
landmark trade deal will create over 175,000 jobs, which will help to 
strengthen our economy and America's middle class. This overdue 
modernization of NAFTA will benefit workers in a wide array of 
industries. Manufacturing, tech, and more stand to gain from the USMCA. 
It will add much needed certainty for farmers and ranchers, who 
currently need every market they can get. Rural America is struggling 
right now, and approving this agreement will provide a shot in the arm 
for the rural economy.
  The ratification of the USMCA, along with the recent deals that have 
been struck with South Korea and Japan, will show the rest of the world 
that the U.S. is open for business. Proving that the U.S. is 
negotiating in good faith to reach mutually beneficial outcomes for all 
parties that are involved could really move the needle in other ongoing 
trade standoffs.
  The House leadership needs to get on the stick. The USMCA is too 
important for our Nation's economic future for it to be sitting in 
limbo while House Democrats focus on partisan goals.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). The majority leader.

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