Press Releases

Today, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement in advance of the July 1, 2021 one-year anniversary of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s (USMCA) entry into force:

“Congressional Democrats fiercely led the effort to ensure that the USMCA contains unparalleled labor protections, environmental provisions, and enforcement mechanisms. One year since its entry into force, the landmark deal is already proving to be the modern, pro-worker agreement our hemisphere needs. Now, we must aggressively enforce the agreement to ensure that the USMCA fulfills its potential to provide for greater job security, higher wages, and, more broadly, a stronger U.S. economy. As unthinkable heat scorches the entire continent, water resources evaporate, and wildfires consume communities, the agreement’s stronger environmental provisions provide a basis for addressing these issues in North America. And with the toll of the COVID pandemic weighing heavily on nations around the world, there’s no denying the importance of the deal’s IP provisions that will help people quickly access affordable medicines and vaccines in the years to come.

“The USMCA is effective because we didn’t just put groundbreaking measures on paper, we backed them up with meaningful, sustaining investments. Enforceability is at the heart of the agreement – it’s what gives the deal teeth and sets it apart from NAFTA and other previous U.S. trade pacts. Fortunately, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer shared our resolve to prioritize enforcement, and his earnest, honest engagement helped us reach such a strong final product. With Ambassador Katherine Tai now at the helm of USTR, we have a terrific partner in the Biden Administration to continue working with on implementing and enforcing the agreement as Congress intended, allowing the advancements we secured to take full effect.

“The USMCA not only sets a new high-water mark for future U.S. trade deals, it is emblematic of the progress Congress can achieve when members from across the ideological spectrum unite around worker-focused, environmentally-minded policies. I look forward to seeing the benefits of this agreement continue to accumulate for many, many years to come.”  

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