14 Democrats Say They Want Vote on USMCA in 2019

A Democrat from Texas and one from the San Diego area led a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging a vote on the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement, as the new NAFTA is called, before the end of 2019. Rep. Colin Allred, who defeated a Republican incumbent in the Dallas suburbs, and Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., sent the letter July 26.

“Texas businesses depend on trade for their supply chains. I urge Congressional leadership to move forward in a productive way on USMCA because I continue to be optimistic that an agreement that benefits North Texas and our three nations can advance," Allred said in the press release announcing the letter, which was signed by 14 Democrats. Many other signers also defeated Republican incumbents in 2018, making them the "majority makers" that Pelosi values highly -- Sharice Davids of Kansas, Ben McAdams of Utah, Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, Anthony Brinidisi of New York, Lizzie Fletcher of Texas, TJ Cox of California, Kendra Horn of Oklahoma and Josh Harder of California. It was also signed by Reps. Susie Lee, D-Nev., Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., Luis Correa, D-Calif., and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., who captured an open seat that had been held by a Republican.

"We are optimistic that the remaining gaps can be bridged if all parties engage with good faith and pragmatism," they wrote about the efforts of the working group. "It is imperative that we reach a negotiated agreement early in the fall," they said, because they want a new NAFTA to have certainty for businesses that trade with Mexico and Canada.