Dusty Johnson: “It is time. It is time for Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the USMCA. This is not, as many…”

“It is time. It is time for Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the USMCA. This is not, as many of you know, a new issue. The administration finished its work months ago--292 days ago, to be exact. That is 292 days that Congress has had to ask questions. That is 292 days that we have had to assess the benefits of the agreement. That is 292 days we have had to analyze the text of that agreement. During the August recess, I had conversations with hundreds, maybe thousands, of folks. Their message was clear: USMCA is a clearly better agreement, and Congress needs to do its job for the good of this country. There are a number of ways in which the President has negotiated a USMCA that is stronger, that is better than NAFTA. First, USMCA ensures that the digital economy will be more open and that it will be more secure. Second, the strong language on currency manipulation and on intellectual property provides a model for our way forward with other agreements, especially one with China. Third, Mr. Speaker, the benefits to the ag community are compelling. My colleagues have heard me speak before about the fact that our ag producers have not had the easiest time of it lately. They need USMCA. This agreement opens up new access to Canadian markets for wheat, wine, eggs, poultry, and dairy. It increases agricultural exports by $2 billion a year. That is why 1,000 ag groups from across the country have endorsed USMCA.…”