Basin briefs for Dec. 20, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Yakima, applauded passage of the new United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement by the House of Representatives.

“For more than a year, I have been urging a vote on the USMCA, which is critical for agriculture and manufacturing industries in Central Washington,” Newshouse said during a speech on the floor of the House. “Billions of dollars and thousands of jobs in our state rely on a strong trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, and the USMCA is a win for the United States.”

The trade pact passed on Thursday during a week in which the U.S. House of Representatives’ agenda was dominated by the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. The trade deal replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was approved in the early 1990s.

“Farmers, ranchers and American workers across the country welcome the bipartisan passage of this critical agreement,” he said. “Modernizing NAFTA and bringing our trade relationship into the 21st century is something President Trump has made a priority since his campaign, and I am confident the Senate will vote to approve the agreement as soon as possible.”

Newhouse noted that in 2018, Washington state exports to Canada and Mexico totaled $11.5 billion and were responsible for 40 percent of the state’s jobs.