A State Legislator Win: The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Will Activate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alexis Jarrett
Email: ajarrett@alec.org
A State Legislator Win: The United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement (USMCA) Will Activate
18 states introduced or passed resolutions of support
ARLINGTON, VA – (JUNE 30, 2020) Tomorrow, July 1, 2020, USMCA enters into force. This follows US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s notification to Congress that USMCA partners, Canada and Mexico, have honored their USMCA commitments after entering into the agreement in November 2018. Throughout the trade agreement debate, state legislator members have been instrumental in indicating broad-based support for USMCA. Over the past year, 18 states introduced or passed resolutions supporting USMCA. The new trade agreement is a modernization of the 1994 North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
“Enhancing international trade, especially with our North American economic partners, is one of the surest paths toward a speedy reboot of the American economy,” said ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson. “With all but one state counting Canada or Mexico as a top-three trading partner, USMCA will create thousands of new American jobs and spur billions of dollars of economic growth across the states.”
ALEC members support the power of international commerce to spur economic growth both here and abroad. ALEC members have long supported seamless North American trade. In 2017, ALEC members recognized the need to update NAFTA by developing model policy calling for the Agreement’s modernization. Once USMCA was negotiated, ALEC members developed new model policy urging swift Congressional approval. This ALEC model policy calling on Congress to approve USMCA was introduced in 18 state legislatures and passed in 11 states.
“ALEC members understand the importance of international trade to their states and the nation,” said Karla Jones, ALEC Sr. Director for International Relations. “While state lawmakers do not have jurisdiction over the negotiation of trade agreements, they are the ultimate stakeholders. A high standard agreement like USMCA can economically invigorate a struggling region.”
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The American Legislative Exchange Council is the largest nonpartisan, voluntary membership organization of state legislators in the United States. The Council is governed by state legislators who comprise the Board of Directors and is advised by the Private Enterprise Advisory Council, a group of private, foundation and think tank members. For more information about the American Legislative Exchange Council, please visit: www.alec.org.