Before the holidays, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. This new trade deal is a win for American workers and job creators, and today, the Senate passed the agreement with a strong bipartisan vote.

We’ve taken an important step forward, laying the stage for the President’s signature.

USMCA deserves to be signed into law. Here is what the deal gets right:

• Supports jobs. Today, trade with Mexico and Canada support over 12 million U.S. jobs. Independent experts predict USMCA’s approval will add another 176,000 jobs throughout America.
• A 21^st century agreement. The current NAFTA was written before the internet became the primary medium for commerce. USMCA contains a first-of-its-kind digital chapter, setting global standards for how we trade online.
• Gives farmers an extra hand. The USMCA maintains the current laws in place today that allow for duty-free access for American farmers in Mexico. And in a victory that President Trump was the first to achieve since NAFTA’s inception, USMCA expands the Canadian market for American dairy, chicken, egg, and turkey products.
• A major improvement from the status quo. This new deal modernizes a trading relationship that began over 24 years ago. It contains stronger enforcement provisions and ends panel blocking by any country – that means Canada and Mexico will be held accountable and must follow the rules.
• A bipartisan victory. The Administration achieved historic labor and environmental reforms in USMCA that will force Mexico to improve its standards instead of depressing U.S. wages. This approach is more meaningful and balanced than liberal Democrats’ demands for including provisions from the Paris Climate Accord or the expensive Butch Lewis Multiemployer Pension Act. By setting strict appropriations requirements around some of the additional spending Democrats have called for, USMCA reins in reckless spending.

As Rep. Kevin Brady has said: “This new trade deal ensures America will continue to improve American lives and provide new jobs and growth. It’s time to bring this deal across the finish line so we can bring North American trade into the 21st Century.”