US Congress ‘on a path to yes’ on USMCA trade deal: Pelosi

The Democratic-controlled US Congress
is making progress towards approving a new free trade agreement with Canada
and Mexico soon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday.

“We’re on a path to yes as far as the trade agreement is concerned,”
Pelosi told reporters, saying Democratic leaders are continuing to work with
President Donald Trump’s trade officials.

Nearly a year after it was signed by the United States, Canada and Mexico,
the future of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — a revamp to the 25-
year-old North American Free Trade Agreement — remains in doubt.

But Pelosi said House Democrats can work with the administration despite
the impeachment proceedings underway against Trump.

“We have a good working relationship. Believe me, the quiet you hear is
progress,” she said at a media briefing.

“We’re trying to find common ground with the president. He always wanted
this. We do too,” she said.

While Mexico has ratified the treaty and it has made progress in Canada,
Democrats say reforms to regulations governing Mexican laborers, which are
meant to protect US industry from exploitative competition, are so far
insufficient.

Pelosi said she remains concerned about the ability to ensure American
farmers and worker are protected from unfair competition.

“We either have enforceability or we don’t. But I’m hopeful that we will
and I’m hopeful that it will be soon,” she said.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier on Wednesday
expressed confidence the US Congress would approve the treaty soon, despite
the worsening tensions over the impeachment proceedings.

“The information I have is that both parties view the agreement
favorably… and are overcoming their differences on this issue,” he said.

“Despite the political and electoral differences that happen in any
democracy… they are separating that from the issue of how important this
agreement is for the economy and for trade.”