American leaders have a rare opportunity to break through partisanship and support a common sense measure that will help our state, our country, and our relationships with our neighbors to the north and south. That measure is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the recently negotiated trade agreement that replaces NAFTA and has been signed by the leaders of all three countries. All that remains is legislative approval, which is why I encourage both Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress to put aside political differences and approve the USMCA for the benefit of the American constituents they both serve.

Our economy here in New Mexico depends on trade with Mexico and Canada. 63,000 New Mexico jobs are supported by these trade practices, and New Mexico exported $2 billion in goods and services to these two countries in 2017. We also benefit from the tremendous economic activity surrounding our multiple ports of entry that we share with Mexico. Under USMCA, we can expect those numbers to grow, bringing greater prosperity to New Mexico workers and business.

The USMCA opens up new markets for New Mexico products and will streamline the export process for our small businesses with new customs and trade rules that reduce red tape and make it easier to engage in international trade. Small businesses account for over 40% of New Mexico’s exports, and the USMCA will help them push that even higher. Our dairy producers will also gain more customers in the Canadian market through reforms to the Canadian system that currently inhibits access to their consumers. The agreement also encourages companies to produce more goods in America by raising wage and benefit standards in Mexico, reducing the draw of cheap and exploitative labor south of the border. Further, the USMCA raises the American-made content requirements for automobiles, meaning more manufacturing on the U.S. side of the border, a feature that as a border community we are well-positioned to benefit from.

Critics have said that a deal is only as good as its enforcement provisions, and they are correct. That’s why the USMCA includes the best enforcement measures of any trade agreement. It puts in place robust penalties for violations as well as enhanced authority for law enforcement to confiscate suspected counterfeit or pirated goods at any point in its transit. We can have confidence that the USMCA will be applied and enforced fairly to protect American interests.

Yes, President Trump’s Administration negotiated this agreement. But the tiring and reflexive partisan opposition to the President should be put aside for the common good to allow this agreement to be implemented. As President Obama’s former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently said, “Having this agreement passed creates optimism, creates a hopefulness about the future...it’s about giving the American economy a victory.” The USMCA is a win for everyone, and I hope our leaders in both parties put aside political differences and work together to get it done.

Yvette Herrell
Candidate for U.S. Second Congressional District