Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) issued the following statements today after Mexico suspended all remaining tariffs that it had imposed against U.S. products in retaliation for our longstanding dispute over cross-border trucking.  The United States and Mexico negotiated a pilot program in April to allow entry of Mexican trucks to comply with U.S. NAFTA obligations, and the first license was granted on October 14, resulting in the suspension of the retaliation by Mexico.   

Chairman Camp stated: “This is a very good day for countless American workers and exporters who had faced the unnecessary tariffs that Mexico suspended today.  The tariffs, which Mexico had imposed in retaliation for our longstanding failure to allow cross-border trucking, cost us 25,000 U.S. jobs due to decreased U.S. exports to Mexico.  We will now be able to export American goods freely again – and regain those lost jobs.  The tariffs could not have been lifted without the well-designed trucking pilot program that Presidents Obama and Calderon agreed to in April, which successfully balances safety and trade.  Without that program, Mexico would be free to reimpose the retaliation, so it is essential that the program continue to move forward successfully.”  

Trade Subcommittee Chairman Brady commented: “Today’s removal of this longstanding border tax will lift burdensome barriers and help create American jobs. I congratulate the Administration and Mexico on resolving this longstanding drag on U.S. job creation and economic growth.  Having rejected trade protectionism and making good on our commitments, the United States can now begin recovering the export market share that we lost under the weight of Mexico’s $2.4 billion in annual border taxes, which have now been suspended.”