Grassley to attend White House signing of USMCA

WASHINGTON — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is scheduled to attend President Trump’s signing ceremony at the White House tomorrow for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Grassley, a Republican, says the updated trade deal opens new markets for made-in-America products.  “Canada is going to accept our eggs, poultry and wheat, products that they’ve never (taken) before,” Grassley says.

The U-S-M-C-A will create thousands of jobs in the U-S, according to Grassley, while leveling the playing field for American farmers and manufacturers.  “As far as Mexico is concerned, they’re going to have parts that go into our automobiles, at least 50% of it is going to have to pay wages of at least $16,” Grassley says. “If they don’t want to pay that in Mexico, that means those jobs will be created in America.”

The pact will stipulate a rise in domestic content in automobile manufacturing, raising the level from around 62- to 75-percent of auto parts made in either the U-S, Canada or Mexico.  “Don’t forget, in Iowa we have a lot of companies we don’t even know exist but they’re there and they’ve probably been there for decades, creating parts for cars,” Grassley says. “That’s going to make a big difference for jobs, even in Iowa.”

The agreement still needs to be ratified in Canada. Grassley says that’s anticipated sometime in February.