[CTC] Democrats call out Trump's lack of NAFTA enforcement implementation

[Arthur Stamoulis]

The letter: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/documents/20200511_Ltr%20from%20WM%20Dem%20to%20DHS-CBP%20re%20USMCA%20Forced%20Labor%20Enforcement%20Task%20Force.pdf

Politico Morning Trade
— House Ways and Means Democrats are fuming over the Trump administration’s failure to establish a labor enforcement task force as required by the USMCA. It’s one of the many enforcement mechanisms the administration promised to have in place before the deal enters into force on July 1.

DEMOCRATS CALL OUT TRUMP’S LACK OF USMCA ENFORCEMENT IMPLEMENTATION: Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee are urging the Trump administration to comply with all the requirements in the USMCA implementing bill, after DHS failed to meet an April 28 deadline to establish a task force aimed at enforcing the forced labor prohibition. 

In a letter to acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf and acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan <http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ec928bfaf35437ada0521e0f74e55121f9dbe3f8702e509bdf418b57878d5aa3b0df3811568214c7766a30ef7e2ea4b6>, the 25 Ways and Means Democrats said the task force needs to be established immediately, as they missed the deadline “without any explanation.” 

“In renewing the bonds of North America’s economic and trade relationships and boosting North American competitiveness to meet the challenges posed by China’s authoritarian, non-market-based economic practices, a lax approach to enforcement is unacceptable,” they wrote Monday. 

CBP is engaged: Earlier on Monday, Brenda Smith, CBP executive assistant commissioner for the Office of Trade, said in a call with reporters that the agency is excited to talk to its Mexican and Canadian counterparts on how they can use customs authority to tackle the “need to remove forced labor from supply chains.” CBP and USTR did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Ways and Means letter. 

Enforcement is key: Democrats are particularly sensitive to enforcement of USMCA given that it was central in their negotiations with the Trump administration all of last year. They’ve repeatedly vowed to have strong oversight over the implementation process, which has been moving quickly as the deal is set to go into effect on July 1. 

Rep. Bill Pascrell  <http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ec928bfaf35437ad6895384c908965676918989151e894536442e144276e90d9be8d743418d8bb3858f8cb6e784ac8ff>(D-N.J.), in a separate statement, said the task force could help “our global efforts to combat forced labor — but only if it actually exists.”

“The administration needs to stop with golden promises of cooperation and demonstrate actual good faith efforts to comply with legal requirements, period,” Pascrell said. 

Checking in on implementation: CBP announced on Monday that it has opened a USMCA Center, made up of various experts dealing with operations, legal and auditing, to help the private sector navigate implementation of the new deal. CBP’s experts on USMCA can receive inquiries at USMCA at cbp.dhs.gov <mailto:USMCA at cbp.dhs.gov>.




Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826




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