Providing for Consideration of H.R. Corporate Transparency Act of 2019
Floor Speech
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Mrs. LESKO. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Georgia for yielding me the time to speak on this critical issue for my district, for the State of Arizona, and for the country.
First, before I get into the previous question amendment, I would like to note that, on the underlying bill, the ACLU, the Due Process Institute, and FreedomWorks all oppose the underlying bill because of civil rights protections they are worried about being lost.
I represent Arizona's Eighth Congressional District, and I regularly speak to my constituents. My district overwhelmingly opposes impeachment. They believe it is a waste of time. They believe that Congress should be tackling real issues, and I believe many Americans across the country feel the same way. They are like, what is Congress doing? Why don't you get anything done?
But Democrats have chosen to ignore the people they came to Congress to represent. They chose, instead, to prioritize impeachment. Instead of advancing legislation to make our Nation safer or to better the lives of our families, my Democratic colleagues have perpetuated a witch hunt to undo the 2016 election and to influence the 2020 election.
One of the key legislative items that my Democratic colleagues have sacrificed is the USMCA, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
I have met with numerous Arizona businesses that have told me, over and over and over again, the importance of the USMCA. I have told them that I support it. I have told them I want this to pass in Congress. But as we all know, it hasn't moved. It hasn't been heard.
My State of Arizona depends on trade with Canada and Mexico. Over 228,000 Arizona jobs are supported by U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico, and Arizona exports over $9 billion in goods and services to Canada and Mexico. We supply them with agricultural products, engines and turbines, and over $1 billion a year in metal ores.
The USMCA would support this trade through numerous key provisions. For example, new customs and trade rules will cut red tape and make it easier for small businesses to participate in trade.
It also protects American innovation by modernizing rules related to intellectual property. It also encourages greater market access for America's farmers.
America and Arizona stand to benefit from passage of the USMCA, but we are not doing the USMCA because our Speaker will not put it on the floor for a vote.
I ask the Democrats to put their constituents ahead of partisan politics and consider the USMCA immediately. I join my friend and Rules Committee colleague in urging Members to vote ``no'' on the rule and ``no'' on the previous question so that we can prioritize what is really important to America.
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