Could We See A USMCA Deal This Week?

Congressional ratification of USMCA in 2019 is down to the wire with just two, or perhaps three-weeks left in this session.  Will it get done before 2020, which is an election year?  And how does a possible Senate impeachment trial mix in to that equation?

“There certainly under time pressure, now," said American Farm Bureau Federation’s Dave Salmonsen.  "If you assume that they go through the third-week of December, which, they could—it’s not official, yet, but Congress could—there is still time to present this to the Hill, have what they call ‘the mock markup hearings, and get votes in both chambers; But, they have to act, get this started very quickly.”

The question is, how quickly.

“They would, effectively, run out of time, if they’re not done, and have an implementing bill, the end of the first week in December,” Salmonsen noted.

Despite a central unresolved issue, enforcement, Salmonsen said the trade deal could come up this week.

“There still seems to be discussion about enforcement procedures. So, close, I guess, things we’re hearing it, but not there, yet.”

Should House Democrats and the White House, Mexico and Canada reach final agreement late, Salmonsen said USMCA could still get done early next year under legislative ‘fast track’ procedures.  It’s expected that USMCA will translate into roughly $2.2 billion in American Ag exports.

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