[CTC] Pelosi: Democrats still looking for path to 'yes' on new NAFTA

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Politico Pro
Pelosi: Democrats still looking for path to 'yes' on new NAFTA

By Adam Behsudi 
05/02/2019 12:29 PM EDT

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said today Democrats "would like to get to yes" on ratification of the new NAFTA deal, but the agreement's language must be altered to address their concerns over its enforcement, labor, environmental and prescription drug provisions.

"There's different suggestions, but I say it has to be part of the agreement," the California Democrat told reporters, referring to the need to strengthen enforcement language. "It can't be a sidebar or side letter, later legislation or anything like that."

Pelosi called enforcement the "overarching" issue that must be dealt with before Democrats will consider the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

President Donald Trump has made passage of the deal his top legislative priority in 2019, as it would be an achievement he would try to use to his advantage during his reelection campaign next year. The administration has told lawmakers it would only submit a bill to implement the agreement once Pelosi says she is ready to accept the deal.

Democrats this week said the administration has failed to satisfy concerns they've raised for months.

"I thought it would be easier than this because we've been clear about enforcement in any trade agreement, whether it's with China or whether it's ... in our own hemisphere," Pelosi said. "Enforcement is key to all of it."

Several Democrats have suggested the administration could work with its North American counterparts to agree on specific amendments to be incorporated into the deal to address criticisms of existing provisions.

Procedurally, possible consideration of the deal on Capitol Hill is closer than ever before after the U.S. International Trade Commission last month released <http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90303e7f65cb2c7f90a9041a9d0db68c3e5a82ae72354a3e80db3ce1daf4786bd242e452fdd9cabcebeb5e126d3f953a> a mandatory analysis of the agreement's economic impacts. That cleared one major hurdle, and Mexico on Tuesday passed a landmark labor reform law required by the new pact. But the administration's efforts to meet remaining procedural steps will mean little as long as Democrats say their concerns have not been addressed.



Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826

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