Press Release
Rep. Cuellar and Diputado Delgado Hosts Meeting with the US-Mexico Interparliamentary Group (IPG)Group discusses USMCA and cooperation between the two nations
Washington | Charlotte Laracy, DC Press Secretary (202-226-1583); Alexis Torres, District Press Secretary (956-286-6007),
July 1, 2020
Tags:
Trade and Economy
Washington, D.C.— Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Diputado Mario Martín Delgado Carrillo, Co-Chairs of the US-Mexico Interparliamentary Group (IPG), hosted a virtual meeting to discuss the United States- Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) and ways to improve upon the current relationship between the U.S. and Mexico governments. The U.S.-Mexico IPG has been held regularly since 1961 to bring together legislators from both countries to discuss priority issues and identify ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation. “After three years of intense negotiations, signing by each country’s trade ambassadors, and passage of the agreement in U.S., Canadian, and Mexican legislative bodies, the $1.5 billion tri-lateral trade agreement is now in force,” said Congressman Cuellar. “The North American Free Trade Agreement gave rise to the greatest display of economic growth in the history of Texas, United States, Mexico, and Canada. Now that the USMCA is in force, we will brighten that future and continue to make North America the economic, cultural, and societal envy of the world. As the Chairman of the U.S.-Mexico IPG, I will continue to work with my Mexican counterparts to strengthen our bilateral relationship and enhance the economic growth of our two nations.” ‘I want to thank Majority Leader of Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies Mario Delgado for his dedication to finalizing this trade agreement and strengthening our trade partnership so we bring further economic prosperity to both countries.”
United States Representatives
Mexico Representatives
Trade with Mexico The trade relationship between our two nations is unparalleled: 2019 was a record year for U.S.-Mexico trade as our two countries exchanged nearly $700 billion in goods and services. According to the U.S. Chamber, nearly $1.7 billion in goods flow across the border every day. In addition, 6.3 million trucks and just under 500,000 loaded rail containers crossed. Building on this success, as trade continues to rebound between the United States and Mexico, Congressman Cuellar is working to improve coordination on essential business designations to ensure our domestic economies have access to each other's critical cross-border supply chains. These designations will be coordinated and reciprocated by both governments given the reliance domestic economies have on international exchanges. Earlier this year, Congressmen Cuellar and Will Hurd sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mexico’s Foreign Secretary Marcel Ebrard calling for a coordinated definition of “essential” in order for businesses in both countries to have the same guidelines. The goal is to provide businesses with clarity and ensure cross-border trade and international supply chains can continue moving properly.
USMCA The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is a revolutionary modernization of the 25-year-old NAFTA into a 21st century, high-standard agreement. The new USMCA will support mutually beneficial trade leading to freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America. There are number of achievements that make this agreement historic, including provisions on the environment, intellectual property, labor, and. Environment Among the many key provisions included in the agreement, Congressman Cuellar secured the signature environmental safeguard of the USMCA, which provided $250 million for the North American Development Bank (NADB) as well as $300 million to fund Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants under the Border Water Infrastructure Program. These investments will enhance our country’s ability to fund environmental infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. Intellectual Property The new Intellectual Property Chapter will require full national treatment for copyright and related rights so United States creators are not deprived of the same protections that domestic creators receive in a foreign market. This agreement will continue to provide strong patent protection for innovators by enshrining patentability standards and patent office best practices to ensure that United States innovators, including small businesses, are able to protect their inventions with patents. The USMCA also includes strong protection for pharmaceutical and agricultural innovators. Labor United States, Mexico, and Canada have agreed to a Labor Chapter that brings labor obligations into the core of the agreement and represents the strongest provisions of any trade agreement. The Labor chapter includes an Annex on Worker Representation in Collective Bargaining in Mexico, under which Mexico commits to specific legislative actions to provide for the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining. The Labor chapter requires the three countries to adopt and maintain in law and practice labor rights as recognized by the International Labor Organization, to effectively enforce their labor laws, and not to waive from their labor laws. To support North American jobs, the deal contains new trade rules of origin to drive higher wages by requiring that 40-45 percent of auto content be made by workers earning at least USD $16 per hour.
To see the U.S.-Mexico IPG press conference, click here.
|