Rep. Ron Estes: Promise made, promise kept with USMCA
As Kansas celebrated its 159th birthday on Jan. 29, President Trump delivered our state a monumental birthday gift — the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). I had the honor of joining the president at the White House on Wednesday as he signed the agreement, fulfilling a campaign promise to renegotiate lackluster, outdated or unfair trade deals including NAFTA. With this updated North American trade agreement, the president’s signature on the USMCA brings our country one step closer to unleashing new jobs and opening new markets for Kansas farmers, manufacturers and small businesses.
In addition to preserving $1.4 trillion in trade and 12 million American jobs supported by current trade with Mexico and Canada, the USMCA is expected to create an additional 176,000 new jobs and add $68 billion to our national GDP. For Kansas, the results are critical.
Mexico and Canada are Kansas’ top two trading partners, worth $4.9 billion for Kansas every year while supporting 110,000 jobs in our state. Strengthening this impact is vital for thousands of families in the 4th District and throughout the state.
Important for Kansas farmers and ranchers, the USMCA opens up new markets for American dairy, wheat, chicken, eggs and turkey for the first time.
This deal also boosts U.S. manufacturing jobs and wages, especially in the auto sector.
While NAFTA was created 25 years ago, the USMCA will now be the first agreement with a chapter dedicated to digital trade and sets new standards for intellectual property, labor and the environment. This makes it a gold standard deal which can serve as a template for future agreements.
As a member of the Ways and Means Committee which oversees trade, as well as the USMCA whip team, I was proud to work with the group that helped advance the trade deal through Congress. Unfortunately, the journey to this week’s signing of the USMCA was longer and harder than it should have been. For too long, the USMCA took a backseat to partisan politics in the House of Representatives, causing farmers, ranchers, and workers to miss out on economic growth and jobs in the meantime.
However, thanks to our efforts in Congress and the leadership of President Trump and his administration, this bipartisan free and fair trade deal is finally close to becoming reality.
Thankfully, the USMCA is just the tip of the iceberg, as President Trump presses forward on renegotiating deals with countries like China, India, the United Kingdom and the EU. Like the USMCA, each of these can reap massive rewards for Kansans in all sectors and show the president’s commitment to pursuing free and fair trade deals — a commitment which should come as no surprise.
President Trump made renegotiating trade deals like NAFTA a staple on the campaign trail. With the signing of the USMCA, this is yet another promise made and promise kept.