Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Home   >   Economy   >   Autos   >   National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce among entities pushing for passage of North American trade agreement

National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce among entities pushing for passage of North American trade agreement

By on March 8, 2019

National Association of Manufacturers, Domino’s Pizza and Dow also join Pass USMCA Coalition

The The Pass USMCA Coalition logo (Screen capture of www.passusmca.org)

SAN JUAN – The Pass USMCA Coalition, an alliance advocating for the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, welcomed the National Association of Manufacturers, Domino’s Pizza, Dow, and the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce as its newest members.

Pass USMCA is an effort led by Democrat Gary Locke, former ambassador to China, secretary of commerce and governor of Washington; and Republican Rick Dearborn, who has served two presidents and six senators.

The deal promotes “U.S. exports, enhances intellectual property protections for U.S. creative industries, and boosts resources for America’s small businesses,” the group group of trade associations and businesses says, stressing that its provisions will “defend American jobs, cultivate innovation, and encourage business development, spurring growth for local, state, and national economies.”

Trade with Canada and Mexico supports 14 million U.S. jobs, the coalition says. “In 2017, the United States exported more than $275 billion in goods to Mexico and nearly $350 billion in goods to Canada.”

In announcing the newly joined entities, the coalition described the National Association of Manufacturers as “the largest manufacturing association in the United States”; Domino’s as the “world’s largest pizza seller, with more than 16,000 stores”; Dow as the “world’s leading materials science company”; and the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce as “a vital advocate for entrepreneurship and innovation within Puerto Rico’s economy.”

Trade with Canada and Mexico “supports two million U.S. manufacturing jobs,” the coalition stressed, adding that “Puerto Rico’s economy and businesses are overwhelmingly dependent on North American trade,” and that “chemical exports to Canada and Mexico have tripled since NAFTA went into effect” in 1994.

“We’re thrilled to add four more well-respected organizations to our coalition,” said Joe Crowley, honorary co-chairman of Pass USMCA and a former congressman from New York. “Our coalition is exceedingly diverse–and that speaks volumes about the widespread support for USMCA.”

Rick Dearborn, Pass USMCA Coalition’s executive director, summarized the need for the agreement’s passage by Congress by stating that “North American trade supports millions of jobs and generates billions in economic output.”

Gary Locke, honorary co-chairman of Pass USMCA, added that it was “terrific to have four more leading businesses and groups making the case for USMCA,” and that “the new trade pact with Mexico and Canada isn’t a partisan issue,” the “deal benefits every American,” and would “improve our trading relationships” with those countries.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login