Statement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, trade with Canada and Mexico is vitally important to Maine's economy, supporting numerous small businesses and more than 53,000 jobs in our State.

In reviewing the text of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the replacement for the deeply flawed NAFTA, my paramount concern was ensuring that Maine workers will be protected. After careful assessment of the benefits USMCA will have for those employed in Maine's manufacturing industry, agriculture sector, and small businesses, I will vote in support of the USMCA.

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, USMCA is projected to have a positive impact on all broad industry sectors, increasing employment by 176,000 jobs and increasing real GDP by $68.2 billion. This agreement also makes important improvements to labor and environmental standards and brings these issues into the core of the agreement. This is a step in the right direction for modernizing trade agreements.

Dana Connors, president & CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, said:

Our border countries are important trade partners for Maine businesses, in fact, trade with our friends to the north is vital to many Maine businesses on a daily basis. The Maine State Chamber of Commerce thanks Senator Collins for her support of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The USMCA's passage is vital for Maine businesses, will restore trade uncertainty and help our economy to continue to thrive.

One out of five Maine manufacturing firms exports to Canada and Mexico, and the majority of these are small- and medium-sized companies. Without tariff-free trade, Maine's manufactured goods exported to Canada and Mexico could face $6.3 million to $26 million in additional tariffs, jeopardizing Maine jobs. Companies like New Balance, which employs hundreds of Mainers at its facilities in Norridgewock, Norway, and Skowhegan, and Texas Instruments in South Portland, depend on a stable North American supply chain.

Amy Dow, director of public relations and government relations for New Balance, said:

On behalf of our company's Maine associates, New Balance supports the passage of the USMCA that will enable the continued success and future growth of our three manufacturing facilities in Maine. Senator Collins' support and leadership on this trade agreement has been vital to ensure that our factories can continue to produce thousands of pairs of shoes annually for export to the Canadian market.

Stephen Bonner, Texas Instruments vice president for worldwide government relations, said:

Texas Instruments is a long-time supporter of predictable, open-market based trade policies. We're pleased that the new USMCA includes strong digital trade and intellectual property provisions to adapt the agreement to the 21st century economy, and support its passage.

Our agricultural producers also rely on a stable and predictable trading environment. U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico more than quadrupled between 1993 and 2017. In Maine, I have heard from producers in the dairy, potato, and wild blueberry industries who have shared their support for free and fair trade agreements.

Maine has a special relationship with Canada in particular, given our shared border. While there remain frictions with Canada, including fishing rights, right whale regulations, and softwood lumber issues, Canada is our largest trading partner and has consistently been our top U.S. export market. As a native of Aroostook County, I know how many of our border communities are truly intertwined, with people and goods traveling back and forth daily. In 2019, Maine and Canada traded an average of $350 million in goods per month.

Ambassador Robert Lighthizer deserves recognition for his tremendous work on this agreement. It is impressive to see a trade agreement receive such strong bipartisan support. Vote on Motion to Waive

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