This should also help stop the USMCA
[h=1]Trump Pushes USMCA Approval Plan in Move That Irks Pelosi[/h] By Jenny Leonard
and Erik Wasson
May 30, 2019, 4:02 PM EDT Updated on May 30, 2019, 7:07 PM EDT
- House speaker says Democrats’ concerns need to be addressed
- Vice President Pence says White House wants approval by summer
The Trump administration formally notified Congress it’s moving forward with its plan to get the new Nafta approved -- a move that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called “not a positive step” as her party weighs whether to support the deal.
White House officials submitted a so-called Statement of Administrative Action, a step toward introducing legislation that would bring the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement into force. The move starts a minimum 30-day period for consultations between the White House and Congress to finalize the bill before a vote can take place.
This action could set up a showdown with Democrats who have opposed efforts by the Trump administration to rush a vote on the deal. While some Democrats are also pushing the White House’s goal for approval before the August recess, others are wary of delivering Trump a signature legislative victory as he hits the campaign trail for his 2020 re-election bid.
The administration has put pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats to approve the trade agreement despite lingering concerns about the deal within the Democratic-held House.
The White House’s decision to move forward more quickly than Democrats asked follows a tense meeting between the president and Democratic congressional leaders last week. Trump told Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that he would not negotiate with them on legislation while House committees investigate him.
Democrats have raised several concerns about the agreement, including enforcement of labor and environmental protections and the deal’s potential effect on drug prices.
As the administration pushes to approve the deal, Vice President Mike Pence met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday. While in Ottawa, the vice president promised the U.S. would “get the USMCA done this year.”
The notice presented Thursday by the White House to Congress outlines U.S. legal obligations that are required by the USMCA.
Trump is pursuing approval of the deal under so-called fast-track authority, which enables him to seek a straight yes-or-no vote in exchange for clearing certain procedural hurdles.
House Democrats have raised a number of areas where they would like to see changes, including provisions governing labor, the environment and pharmaceuticals. In a step viewed as positive, Pelosi this month created working groups to negotiate with the administration.
The removal of U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico this month also cleared a hurdle for lawmakers of both parties.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...d-with-usmca-approval-plan-as-democrats-waver