Brian Higgins: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, the economic future of Buffalo and western New York is tied…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, the economic future of Buffalo and western New York is tied strategically to southern Ontario, which is one-third of the entire population of the country of Canada. I am pleased that this agreement strengthens the U.S.-Canadian economic and life quality relations. I am concerned, however, that the U.S.-Mexican economic relationship is more challenging. The United States has lost 6 million manufacturing jobs in the past 20 years, and 53,000 manufacturing businesses have closed. NAFTA's promise of wage convergence, bringing Mexican wages to Canadian and U.S. standards, has failed. The Mexican wage is $5.10 a day, less than $0.64 an hour. We have good reason to be skeptical of Mexico's commitment to do better. The USMCA, however, because of Chairman Richard Neal's leadership and emphasis on rigorous enforcement, does have the potential for improved Mexican compliance on wages, the environment, and labor standards.”