Washington, DC—Rep. Ron Kind released the following statement after President Trump signing the United States Mexico Canada Agreement:
“Today, after months of work, the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico finally made its way across the finish line. My colleagues and I on both sides of the aisle worked hard to turn what was once a hastily negotiated agreement into a trade deal that is more pro-dairy, more pro-worker, and more pro-enforcement. The United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a renewed commitment between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico and I look forward to working with our trade allies to continue advancing a North American economy that creates good-paying jobs and is in line with our values. Now that USMCA is finally signed into law, my colleagues and I must get to work on reasserting Congress’s role over tariff policy and giving our farmers the true relief they deserve – relief from the Administration’s dangerous tariffs.”
According to a report from the U.S. International Trade Commission, the majority of small economic gains from USMCA (.35% GDP growth over a decade years) comes from removing the uncertainty created by the Administration’s reckless tariffs and threats to withdrawal from our trade relationship with our closest neighbors and allies. In stark contrast, a report released yesterday from the Congressional Budget Office found that the President’s tariffs from this year alone will have over a 40% larger negative economic impact compared to USMCA’s economic impact over the next decade.
Rep. Ron Kind worked tirelessly for years to push for the following to be included in the new USMCA trade agreement:
- Eliminated Canada’s class 7 dairy program, creating guaranteed access to the Canadian dairy market for Wisconsin farmers.
- Improved Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards for farmers
- Increased labor and environmental standards
- Created a digital chapter for the 21st Century
- Faster and more enforceable dispute settlement process
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