Thank you for contacting me regarding the North America Supercorridor Coalition. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Since the introduction of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), many have questioned the possibility of constructing a “super-highway” connecting Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In reality, this “super-highway” existed before the ratification of NAFTA in the form of I-35, which runs from the Mexican/Texas border to the Minnesota/Canadian border.
Much of the recent press involving the supposed construction of a “super-highway” has been centered on North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc. This group is a nongovernmental nonprofit agency which actively promotes an increase of trade between the members of NAFTA. This group’s efforts to maximize trade between the North American nations are purely private, and they are not affiliated with any government agency.
In addition, there is currently no effort in Congress to create a North American Union or a common currency between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This rumor may have started as a result of a report published in March 2005 by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) titled Building a North American Community, which recommends the establishment of a North American economic and security community by 2010. The CFR is an independent think tank and has no affiliation with the U.S. government.
Once again, thank you for taking time to write to me with your concerns. The thoughts and opinions of Idahoans are important to me as your Representative in the United States Congress. I also encourage you to visit my website at
www.house.gov/simpson to sign up for my weekly e-newsletter and to read more about my views on a variety of issues.
Sincerely,
S
Mike Simpson
Member of Congress