WASHINGTON – Still facing an impeachment trial in the Senate, President Donald Trump will celebrate the completion of one of his top legislative priorities Wednesday when he signs a revamped trade deal with Mexico and Canada.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, rewrites the rules for trading agriculture, manufacturing and services with the nation’s neighbors and closest trading partners.
The pact is the product of months of negotiations and replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which essentially eliminated tariffs on most goods traded among the three countries.
The new agreement guarantees U.S. farmers greater access to Canada’s agriculture market and puts new e-commerce rules in place. It also dictates that a higher percentage of autos be made from parts manufactured in North America and requires that at least 40% of vehicle production be done by workers earning at least $16 per hour.
For Trump, the revised deal marks a significant victory as he battles impeachment in the Senate and works to persuade voters to return him to office for another four years.
Trump relentlessly ridiculed NAFTA as the “worst trade deal ever” when he ran for president four years ago, arguing that it put American workers at a competitive disadvantage. Other critics, including Democrats, conceded NAFTA was outdated and needed to be revised.
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