Canada

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has delivered U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement counterproposals to House Democrats as the two sides continue to negotiate during the August recess.

The two countries will meet quarterly on Mexico’s labor commitments

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is working on a “rapid-response” enforcement approach for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that borrows heavily from a proposal introduced by two key Democratic senators earlier this year, Inside U.S. Trade has learned.

In a progress report sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Friday, the House Democrats' U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement working group said it intended to send detailed text to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer next week, calling on USTR to respond with counteroffers.

New Democrat Coalition members this week encouraged U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to continue working with a group of House lawmakers on U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement issues before moving forward with ratification, hoping they can make progress even during the August congressional recess, Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) told Inside U.S. Trade.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), the House chief deputy whip, said on Wednesday that Congress would pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement this year, hinting at a significant number of Democrats likely to support it.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, joined by 600 other business associations across the country, is urging Congress to approve the U.S.- Mexico-Canada Agreement as soon as possible.

The letter calls for amending the deal to reflect “the balance achieved in the bipartisan May 10, 2007, agreement.”

The United Kingdom should not expect to be rewarded with a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S. if the country exits the European Union without a deal, House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) said on Wednesday.