Statement by Congressman Kildee on USMCA Entry Into Force
Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus and member of the Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) takes effect today:
"NAFTA was an unfair trade agreement that hurt American workers and communities across Michigan. The USMCA is far from perfect, but compared to the status quo, it presents an opportunity to improve the lives of American workers by replacing NAFTA. As the USMCA enters into force today, the Trump Administration must get serious about enforcing this agreement, including labor reforms. If the President fails to enforce this agreement, Michigan workers will be vulnerable to pink slips and plant closures. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee which has jurisdiction over international trade, I will continue to vigorously conduct oversight of the implementation of USMCA and ensure that all sides live up to the spirit and letter of the agreement.
"As I said when USMCA passed, I am committed to working on legislation that would provide trade adjustment assistance for communities to help them recover from the terrible effects of NAFTA. When plants close due to outsourcing, the entire community is impacted, and we need policies that protect the most vulnerable communities."