[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT BECOMES LAW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today, at long last, the 
United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, USMCA, will officially 
become law. USMCA is a major win not only for American farmers, 
ranchers, manufacturers, and business owners, but for each and every 
American who depends on these industries.
  Thanks to the leadership of the Trump administration, we are 
delivering real results for the men and women who are the backbone of 
the American economy. Freer markets, fairer trade, and increased 
opportunity are on the horizon as USMCA is signed today and 
implemented.
  The numbers are staggering: more than $68 billion in new economic 
activity, approximately 176,000 new jobs, and an increase of more than 
$2 billion a year in agriculture exports. It is no wonder that USMCA 
passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and the 
Senate.
  USMCA brings particularly good news for the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania. In 2018 alone, Pennsylvania exported approximately $15 
billion in goods to Canada and Mexico, and USMCA continues to open 
doors for our producers.
  As Pennsylvania's number one industry, agriculture is vital to the 
health of both the economy and our residents, as our farmers provide 
the food, the fiber, the energy, the building materials, and all that 
we depend upon. With increased market opportunities, the future of the 
Keystone State is brighter than ever.
  That being said, it is impossible to talk about the impact USMCA will 
have on Pennsylvania without talking about dairy. For far too long, our 
Nation's dairy producers have been subject to Canada's unfair class 6 
and class 7 ultrafiltered pricing programs, limiting our export 
potential both into Canada and, quite frankly, into Third World 
countries as Canada floods them with dairy components of whey and 
lactose, proteins and powdered milk. Thanks to USMCA, this is a thing 
of the past.
  A 21st century economy requires 21st century trade policy, and with 
USMCA, we are sending a crystal-clear message to our trade partners 
around the globe: America is open for business.

                          ____________________