Press Releases

Writing in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal this week, Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) hailed the recent passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Trump Administration’s Phase One trade deal with China as a turning point for American trade policy that will benefit agriculture and energy economies in West Texas and across the country: “After years of watching our jobs shipped overseas and agriculture exports plummet, our nation has made a much-needed course correction – one that will bring a brighter future for our farmers and ranchers, energy producers, and workers in West Texas who, perhaps more than anyone, understand the costs and consequences of trade imbalances that affect their livelihood,” wrote Arrington. “…Together, passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Congress and the prospects of a “Phase One” trade deal with China are generating even more optimism for the people and businesses that turn the gears on the largest and most diverse economic engine in the world…” “…In District 19 alone, Canada and Mexico account for 40 percent of our total exports, and nearly half of all trade-related jobs are connected to our North American neighbors…” “…Under the ‘Phase One’ deal announced earlier this month, China has committed to purchasing at least $200 billion worth of American exports, doubling its imports of U.S. goods over the next two years…” “...These recent successes are only the beginning of a turning point for American trade and, by extension, for agriculture and energy economies like ours in West Texas and across the country…”   READ CONGRESSMAN ARRINGTON’S FULL COLUMN IN THE LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL: Trade wins signal brighter future for West Texas By Jodey C. Arrington Lubbock Avalanche-Journal December 29, 2019 Major negotiation breakthroughs with our North American trade partners as well as China sent the stock market to record highs last week but, more importantly, sent a message from the U.S. to our international partners and adversaries alike: ‘America First’ is not just a campaign slogan, it’s the new reality. Instead of being beholden to the whims and wishes of other global economic superpowers, America is now negotiating from a position of strength, enabling us to control our own economic destiny in the 21st Century. After years of watching our jobs shipped overseas and agriculture exports plummet, our nation has made a much-needed course correction – one that will bring a brighter future for our farmers and ranchers, energy producers, and workers in West Texas who, perhaps more than anyone, understand the costs and consequences of trade imbalances that affect their livelihood. The future of economic prosperity for America depends on freer markets at home and greater access to consumers abroad. Together, passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Congress and the prospects of a “Phase One” trade deal with China are generating even more optimism for the people and businesses that turn the gears on the largest and most diverse economic engine in the world. USMCA will add nearly $70 billion to the U.S. economy, create more than 170,000 new jobs, and grow U.S. agriculture exports by an additional $2.2 billion annually. In District 19 alone, Canada and Mexico account for 40 percent of our total exports, and nearly half of all trade-related jobs are connected to our North American neighbors. Under the “Phase One” deal announced earlier this month, China has committed to purchasing at least $200 billion worth of American exports, doubling its imports of U.S. goods over the next two years. Even more important than the substantial increase in Chinese purchases of U.S. agriculture products, the deal also includes structural reforms like ending currency manipulation and protecting intellectual property, allowing our producers and manufacturers to compete and win on a level playing field. These recent successes are only the beginning of a turning point for American trade and, by extension, for agriculture and energy economies like ours in West Texas and across the country. President Trump and his chief trade negotiator, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, have been applying maximum pressure – including using tariffs as a tool – to force other nations into better and fairer deals for the U.S. Make no mistake: these painful but necessary negotiating tactics caused China to drop from the second-largest market for U.S. agriculture products to the fifth-largest in just the past two years, with $10 billion in lost exports for U.S. farmers. That’s why, ultimately, we must seek to offset the Chinese export market by accessing new markets and reaching new customers in the EU, UK, and Indo-Pacific region. This means building upon the recent successes in achieving better trade parity for the United States in North America and other global economic powers like Japan – which recently agreed to reduce or eliminate tariffs on more than $7 billion of U.S. agriculture exports. USMCA is supported on both sides of the aisle and represents not only more economic activity with our neighbors to the north and south, but also a model framework for enhancing other trade agreements across the globe. Building on the historic tax cuts and regulatory relief, freer and fairer trade for the U.S. means greater prosperity for the next generation of agriculture and energy producers. That’s why it was important for West Texas to have a seat on Ways and Means – the Committee that sets U.S. trade policy – to ensure a level playing field for our farmers and new markets for our food, fuel, and fiber.