01.22.20

Hoeven Outlines Importance of USMCA at Senate Signing Ceremony, Final Step Before Sending Agreement to the President

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today outlined the importance of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) at the Senate enrollment ceremony, where Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley enrolled or signed the bill. This is the final step required before sending the agreement to the president for his signature.

“USMCA will help provide market access and certainty with our two biggest trading partners,” said Hoeven. “The agreement is good for agriculture and energy and will help us export more U.S. products to our closest neighbors. For example, we worked to include a provision to prevent Canada from automatically downgrading U.S. wheat to ensure our wheat is treated fairly.

“That’s why we worked to complete the Senate process for USMCA as quickly as possible following more than a year of delay by the House. This includes moving it through seven Senate committees and securing its prompt approval by the full chamber. This is an important achievement for our nation, and it comes as another encouraging development as the administration works to resolve ongoing trade negotiations.”

According to the International Trade Commission, USMCA will increase U.S. agricultural and food exports to Canada and Mexico when fully implemented. The senator worked to ensure that USMCA benefits North Dakota producers, including eliminating Canada’s automatic downgrade of imported U.S. wheat to feed grade, which will help ensure that grading standards and services are non-discriminatory.

Additionally, USMCA makes needed modernizations on intellectual property, digital trade and financial services.

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