The Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry today joined fellows chambers of commerce across the country by signing on to the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Letter to the U.S. Congress (see below) in support of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement.
While among our nation’s largest partners in trade, Mexico and Canada rank as the State of Illinois’ No. 1 and No. 2 trading partners involving key industries from manufacturing to agriculture, it is imperative that the borders with our fellow North American counties remain open.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS:
On behalf of the undersigned business and agriculture organizations and chambers of commerce from across the United States, we are writing to urge you to support the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. USMCA is critical to our economic future because it will preserve and strengthen U.S. trade ties to Canada and Mexico.
More than 12 million American jobs depend on trade with Canada and Mexico. U.S. manufacturers export more made-in-America manufactured goods to our North American neighbors than they do to the next 11 largest export markets combined, and the two countries account for nearly one-third of U.S. agricultural exports. They are also the top two export destinations for U.S. small and medium-size businesses, more than 120,000 of which sell their goods and services to Canada and Mexico.
Approval of USMCA will ensure U.S. manufacturers, farmers, and service providers can continue to access the Canadian and Mexican markets. The new pact guarantees that virtually all U.S. exports will enter these markets tariff-free.
USMCA will also modernize North American trade rules. For example, when NAFTA was negotiated a quarter century ago, there was no e-commerce; consequently, the agreement did not address this sector. USMCA’s digital trade chapter sets a new, high standard, as the agreement does in areas from intellectual property protection to trade in services.
By creating a level playing field for trade in North America, USMCA will help U.S. companies and the workers they employ compete in our top two export markets. The case for the agreement’s approval is strong. We urge Congress to approve USMCA as soon as possible.