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Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House - ICYMI: Ag Committee GOP Leader Conaway Leads 159 Republicans Urging Pelosi to Hold Vote on USMCA

Letter

By: Robert Aderholt, Bruce Westerman, Tom McClintock, Scott Tipton, Vern Buchanan, Doug Collins, Tom Graves, Jr., Rodney Davis, Jackie Walorski, Greg Pence, Steven Watkins, Jr., Andy Barr, Ralph Abraham, Tim Walberg, Peter Stauber, Sam Graves, Michael Guest, Greg Murphy, Richard Hudson, Jr., Ted Budd, Mark Amodei, Steve Chabot, Bob Gibbs, Dave Joyce, Frank Lucas, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Ralph Norman, Jr., Tim Burchett, Mark Green, Van Taylor, Michael McCaul, Randy Weber, Sr., Pete Olson, Michael Burgess, Rob Bishop, Denver Riggleman III, Cathy Rodgers, Mike Gallagher, Kevin Brady, Donald Young, Rick Crawford, David Schweikert, Devin Nunes, Ken Buck, Greg Steube, Jody Hice, Steve King, John Shimkus, Jim Banks, Larry Bucshon, Ron Estes, Steve Scalise, Garret Graves, Paul Mitchell, Ann Wagner, Billy Long, Steven Palazzo, Virginia Foxx, Dan Bishop, Kelly Armstrong, Lee Zeldin, Brad Wenstrup, Warren Davidson, Steve Stivers, Tom Cole, Lloyd Smucker, GT Thompson, Jr., Tom Rice, Chuck Fleischmann, David Kustoff, John Ratcliffe, Mike Conaway, Bill Flores, Will Hurd, Michael Cloud, Chris Stewart, Ben Cline, Bryan Steil, Carol Miller, Mike Rogers, Steve Womack, Doug LaMalfa, Ken Calvert, Gus Bilirakis, Drew Ferguson, Rick Allen, Mike Bost, Darin LaHood, Susan Brooks, Roger Marshall, Brett Guthrie, Mike Johnson, John Moolenaar, Tom Emmer, Vicky Hartzler, Trent Kelly, George Holding, David Rouzer, Mark Meadows, Adrian Smith, Tom Reed II, Bob Latta, Troy Balderson, Kevin Hern, Dan Meuser, John Joyce, William Timmons, Phil Roe, John Rose, Dan Crenshaw, Ron Wright, Mac Thornberry, Chip Roy, Roger Williams, Brian Babin, Rob Wittman, Dan Newhouse, Glenn Grothman, Bradley Byrne, French Hill, Debbie Lesko, Kevin McCarthy, Matt Gaetz, Buddy Carter, Barry Loudermilk, Mike Simpson, Adam Kinzinger, Jim Baird, Trey Hollingsworth III, James Comer, Jr., Clay Higgins, Jack Bergman, Jim Hagedorn, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason Smith, Greg Gianforte, Mark Walker, Patrick McHenry, Donald Bacon, Elise Stefanik, Jim Jordan, Mike Turner, Anthony Gonzalez, Greg Walden, Fred Keller, Mike Kelly, Jr., Dusty Johnson, Scott DesJarlais, Louie Gohmert, Lance Gooden, Kay Granger, Jodey Arrington, Kenny Marchant, John Carter, John Curtis, Morgan Griffith, Jim Sensenbrenner, Jr., Liz Cheney
Date: Dec. 9, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Trade Legislative Branch

Dear Speaker Pelosi:

The undersigned Republican Members strongly urge you to ensure that the House of Representatives takes up and passes the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement this year.

With just two weeks remaining, the House has so far squandered the first session of the 116th Congress.

Rather than working together to pass bipartisan measures that could be signed into law, House Democrats have instead obsessed over a partisan impeachment process of which the sole purpose is to overturn the decision of voters in the 2016 election. The little remaining time has largely been consumed by passing partisan messaging bills that have no chance of enactment, even in the case where common ground could easily have been found.

Thankfully, it is not too late for House Democrats to do the right thing. For starters, the House should finally stop dithering on USMCA and pass this critically important trade agreement.

Nearly every agriculture group in America has called on Congress to pass USMCA, which significantly improves trade relations with our two largest trading partners that together purchase about one-third of all U.S. agricultural exports. Under USMCA, U.S. agricultural exports alone are expected to increase by more than $2 billion annually, helping to build on the 325,000 American jobs that are already reliant on our nation's exports to Mexico and Canada.

Significant new market access for U.S. dairy, chicken, eggs, and turkey producers is expected under the agreement while strides are also made in favor of our wheat farmers. These and other improvements will greatly benefit U.S. farmers and ranchers who are struggling under the weight of a recession that began in late 2014.

Expanding U.S. agriculture exports through truly free and fair trade agreements will help put American agriculture back on its feet.

Mexico is already our corn growers' number one customer, while Canada and Mexico buy close to half of our pork products. And beef sales to our immediate neighbors are estimated to add about $70 per head to the bottom line of U.S. cattlemen. Under USMCA, the United States has a real opportunity to expand on these successes at a time when U.S. farmers and ranchers and rural America need help the most.

USMCA already contains the strongest labor provisions of any trade agreement considered by the U.S. to date, and the Trump Administration has worked diligently and in good faith to address these issues because the President is absolutely focused on ensuring a level playing field for all U.S. workers.

Passing USMCA is a chance for the House to chalk up one critically important victory for the American people, and we urge you to seize this opportunity.

Sincerely,


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