Welch Statement on the Future of the USMCA Trade Agreement and U.S.-Canada Trade Relations

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was negotiated and signed by President Trump in 2018 

BURLINGTON, VTU.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s refusal to extend the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, which was negotiated and signed by President Trump in 2018 and went into effect in 2020: 

“Vermont’s small businesses, manufacturers, and farmers rely on the USMCA to maintain strong trade relationships with our neighbors—especially Canada. President Trump’s anti-Canadian rhetoric and reckless tariffs have created economic chaos on both sides of the border. The ripple effects have been severe and lasting, hurting Vermont’s Main Streets, our agriculture economy, and our tourism. Economic chaos has been a hallmark of the last 18 months, and today’s announcement by the Trump Administration only adds fuel to the fire. To be crystal clear for Vermonters who rely on this trade agreement: the USMCA still remains intact,” said Senator Welch, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. “President Trump negotiated and signed this trade agreement in his first term. The USMCA has been a key tool in keeping trade flowing after the president lodged extreme tariffs on our closest trading partners. No trade agreement is perfect, but we need to extend the USMCA to bolster our North American supply chain and to protect and create manufacturing jobs.  I urge Ambassador Greer, the White House, and Canadian trade officials to come to a swift resolution on unresolved matters and to maintain this critical agreement.” 

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View a digital version of this release.