PLATTSBURGH — President Donald Trump's signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement into law drew praise from organizations and North Country officials.
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) lauded ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement's (NAFTA) replacement as a significant victory for the region.
"This agreement will expand our markets for American-made goods with two vital trading partners, boosting our North Country economy," she said in a statement.
"It also provides stability for our agriculture industry by increasing access to those markets.
I am proud to have been an outspoken supporter of this important agreement from the beginning, and I will continue to work on behalf of North Country farmers, small businesses, manufacturers and hardworking families to deliver crucial results like these."
CONTINUED BENEFITS
North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said nothing is more important to the area's economy than its cross-border economic partnership with Canada.
"With the enactment of the enabling legislation for USMCA, we can expect the continued benefits that will flow from a renewed and predictable economic relationship," he said in a statement.
"The North Country, more than any other area of the U.S., has made itself a uniquely supportive environment for Canadian-based manufacturing in the U.S. market and for cross-border supply chains."
Douglas said the North Country's transportation equipment and aerospace cluster is a prime example, with 50 companies employing more than 9,000 people.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher said nearly half of the state's agricultural exports go to the country's North American neighbors.
"Thanks to the president’s signature on USMCA, goods will continue to cross borders to benefit our state’s farms and rural economy," he continued.
"The agreement provides certainty to farmers as well as opens the door to additional market opportunities, most notably for our dairy farms."
Douglas and Fisher thanked Stefanik for her support of the agreement's passage.
"Congresswoman Stefanik has been in the forefront of passage of the USMCA that is essential to balance and strengthen the capability of North America’s competitiveness and enhancing U.S.-Canada economic vitality," Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance President/CEO Jim Phillips said.
RATIFIED IN MEXICO
Trump, former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the USMCA on Nov. 30, 2018.
The Mexican Senate ratified the agreement in June, and in December voted overwhelmingly to accept changes made as a result of negotiations between House Democrats and the White House.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the USMCA in December; U.S. Senate passage followed earlier this month.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) were among the 10 senators who voted against the measure, citing concerns that it did not adequately address climate change.
The Canadian Parliament has yet to pass the deal but, according to the body's website, an act to implement it was introduced in the House of Commons Wednesday.
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Twitter: @PPR_carachapman
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