Democrats Must Get To Yes On North American Trade Deal

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Issues & Insights

Finalizing and passing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will be a win for all parties. President Trump famously criticized NAFTA for not sufficiently protecting U.S. interests, which many Democrats had been saying for years. Now, Democratic lawmakers have the unique opportunity to create a new foundation for trade that will be a major step forward for the U.S. and two of our largest trade partners for years to come. 

The reasons for finalizing the USMCA are clear. It is the best available vehicle for preserving a $22 trillion North American economy and modernizing provisions that impact labor, the environment, digital commerce, and red tape for small business. Any new trade deal, of course, must be approved by Congress, including the Democratic-controlled House. While the deal was negotiated without Democrats having a seat at the table, they are working diligently with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and their counterparts in Mexico and Canada to strengthen the necessary provisions and ultimately get it passed.

Under current conditions, passing the USMCA is complicated to say the least. One can understand why Democrats are reluctant to give the president a win on trade. On the other hand, many Democrats still fear that the lack of a new trade deal could lead to Trump withdrawing from NAFTA and wreaking havoc on the North American market. That’s good for no one, especially when many trade-heavy congressional districts are represented by Democrats and 72 percent of Democrats believe NAFTA has generally been good for America, according to a Pew Research survey. Those factors were just part of the reason 14 House Democrats in July sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to bring the USMCA to a vote by year’s end.