Border Trade Alliance hails Senate passage of USMCA

WASHINGTON (January 16, 2020) – Border Trade Alliance President Ms. Britton Clarke and BTA Chair Paola Avila issued the following statements following the U.S. Senate’s adoption of legislation to implement the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement:

BTA President Ms. Britton Clarke:

“Today’s historic vote marks the final legislative step required to modernize for the 21^st century the trade relationship between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The cross-border trade community applauds U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and members of the Senate who delivered the passage of this legislation with a strong, bipartisan vote. This final adoption of USMCA solidifies North America’s competitiveness for the decades to come, positioning all three countries for job growth and economic expansion.”

BTA Chair Paola Avila:

“The Border Trade Alliance thanks the U.S. Senate and the administration’s negotiating team for making possible today’s adoption of legislation to implement the USMCA and to assure that North American trade remains tariff-free. Not only does USMCA modernize a trade agreement that has proven central to U.S. prosperity, but the bill contains some important provisions that will help ensure that the environmental infrastructure of the U.S.-Mexico border region is enhanced. The road to today’s vote has been a long one, but stakeholders in the North American cross-border trade community are extremely gratified by this result and the tremendous trinational trade agreement that will soon take effect.”

Additional statements from the BTA regarding USMCA from over the past year can be found below:

• Border Trade Alliance hails House passage of USMCA
• Border Trade Alliance applauds agreement on USMCA, urges bipartisan vote for passage
• Congressional ratification of the USMCA is essential to maintaining U.S. competitiveness, economic health
• Border Trade Alliance makes case for USMCA on Capitol Hill
• Border Trade Alliance: New ITC report makes clear case for USMCA’s adoption
• BTA response to ITC assessment of USMCA
• Border Trade Alliance applauds trilateral trade accord reached by U.S., Canada and Mexico
• U.S. should seek to maintain competitiveness through reductions in tariffs, modernized trade agreements

 

# # #

 

Since 1986, the BTA has served as a grassroots, non-profit organization that provides a forum for discussion and advocacy on issues pertaining to border development and quality of life and trade in the Americas. A network of public and private sector representatives from the United States, Mexico and Canada, BTA’s core values include a commitment to improving the quality of life of border communities through trade and commerce. The BTA is online at thebta.org and @borderalliance.