Pelosi: We’re Not Going To Rush USMCA

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she’s not ready to give USMCA the ‘green light’ in the House.  Pelosi earlier said a deal with the White House to bring up USMCA in the House was “imminent.”

But, a year after NAFTA’s replacement was signed and months of negotiations with Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Pelosi said, “We live in a world of instant gratification. ‘You got an agreement, when’s the bill coming up?’  No, there’s a lot of writing and conversations with Canada, with Mexico, on the basis of what we might come to agreement on, in terms of a change in the actual treaty, and in the actual agreement.  So, it will take time to write and then bring to the floor.

Pelosi said if lawmakers can get the trade agreement where it needs to be, she’s confident it can be a template for future U.S. trade agreements.  She added legislation like this takes time.

“This is about legislating, and it takes time; you need, in most cases, a CBO report; you have to make sure that the committees of jurisdiction have all signed off, so that you can strongly go to the floor.”

As for action in December, Pelosi said she doesn’t think lawmakers have time to get a vote done in 2019.  Pelosi met Lighthizer following her comments Thursday, adding “we’ve made progress.” She told reporters after the meeting “I think we’re narrowing our differences.”

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