[CTC] Democrats Demand More Climate Action in NAFTA 2.0

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Politico Morning Trade

DEMOCRATS DEMAND MORE CLIMATE ACTION IN USMCA <http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43c2d9e4b0a6d2848d07cffe29dbe06a6ddee8b9118c7749436d0f76cdf6a3070184b2505364be8ae8c1c4e312e1444d>: More than 100 House Democrats are urging the White House to include binding environmental standards in the deal to replace NAFTA, calling for meaningful action to address climate change and a commitment from the United States to remain in the Paris climate agreement.

The demands, which are laid out in a letter lawmakers plan to send later this week, are setting the stage for a forthcoming showdown between the Trump administration and House Democrats over the pact's environmental provisions, which they have for months highlighted as one of their top areas of concern. Rep. Katie Hill <http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43c2d9e4b0a6d28440490702dd4d9a546409622c93008d57cf18f86927aff91ee4de2fa976628977ff734ae4d6d22569> (D-Calif.) is leading the effort.

The letter comes after U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer sent Democrats formal proposals last week outlining how the administration would attempt to address their concerns, including on environment — suggesting that more than 40 percent of the caucus feels the climate piece does not go far enough.

"The USTR's response did not effectively address climate," a congressional aide told POLITICO, adding that the thinking is "if we're going to be having the conversation about NAFTA, we should simultaneously be having a conversation about binding climate standards and Paris."

Broad-based support: Organizers say the 102 Democrats who signed the letter as of Tuesday evening include more than a dozen committee chairs and a number of caucus chairs. Ben Beachy, a trade expert with the Sierra Club, told Morning Trade his organization, the National Resources Defense Council and the League of Conservation Voters are also supporting the letter.

Path to yes: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  <http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43c2d9e4b0a6d284b72f4329ca74ac257f156cd97f6fc7b9196923a4c329237bd0d9671e2e6dfb509689e5bd35b36977>is maintaining that while there is still work to be done on USMCA, "we hope that we're on a path to yes."

"We've made some progress on some of the issues in the provisions in the agreement," she said in an interview Tuesday on CNBC. "But ... it doesn't even count if it isn't enforceable."

Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826




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