FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2019
CONTACT: Jane Harris
206-800-2300
media@wcit.org
SEATTLE – Thursday’s overwhelming passage by the U.S. Senate of the USMCA is great news for the farmers, ranchers, businesses, and workers throughout our state that rely on trade for their livelihoods. International trade has long been the cornerstone of Washington state’s economy, and the new trade pact strengthens key parts of the previous trade agreement (NAFTA) by enabling even more opportunities to build on our robust trading relationships with Canada and Mexico.
Nearly 13 percent of our state’s total exports go to our two neighbors, including almost $10 billion in goods and $2.5 billion in services. As an active supporter of USMCA’s passage, WCIT applauds the dedicated leadership of Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell as well as all of those in the Washington Congressional delegation who supported this agreement and were instrumental in its passage.
With Mexico already passing the deal, we look forward to Canada ratifying the agreement and the White House signing the new accord. Once enacted, USMCA can bring more stability to regional trade, more opportunities for Washington businesses and farmers and, we believe, more growth for our state’s economy.
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ABOUT WASHINGTON COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE
On behalf of our members – manufacturers, farmers, retailers, service providers and non-profits – the Washington Council on International Trade advocates for pro-trade policies and investments that benefit Washington’s workers and employers. Trade paves the way for Washington-made goods and services to reach foreign markets, provides Washingtonians with products that raise our quality of life, and sustains family-wage jobs in numerous local industries. To learn more, visit us at https://www.wcit.org.