Count American Farm Bureau among those frustrated by the late-breaking roadblocks to the campaign to win Congressional approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal. The roadblocks now include Speaker Pelosi green lighting articles of impeachment against President Trump.
“Today, I am asking our chairman to proceed with articles of impeachment,” Pelosi said.
This comes just when American Farm Bureau’s Executive Director Dale Moore was hoping House Speaker Pelosi might turn the House’s attention to USMCA, worth billions in new exports for producers.
“It’s frustrating,” said Moore. “We’ve been ready for two, three months, four months, for this debate to start up on the Hill. Things related to the budget, things related to other actions that are going on, particularly in the House, right now, those kinds of issues seem to be pulling things back.”
And House Democrats are adding new conditions to USMCA, including U.S. labor inspections of Mexican factories.
“We hear they’re making progress, but it seems like some of that progress is now raising concerns, particularly with Mexico and some of their officials, and the comments that they’re making. So, right now, I would have to say, we’re frustrated.”
Impeachment just compounds it all.
“If the impeachment process goes over to the Senate, the Senate’s got a constitutional responsibility to take that process and work with that,” Moore added.
But he acknowledges politics, not just logistics, may have trumped USMCA in this hyper-partisan Washington climate.
“I would have to say yes, there is probably a political calculus of some level, perhaps greater for some than others, as to why we need to get this done or not get it done.”
Speaker Pelosi, who usually mentions USMCA in her weekly press conference opening statement, did not mention it Thursday, despite November comments saying a deal was “imminent.” Some say impeachment taking over could make USMCA this year a casualty. Others say it is already a 2019 casualty.
Source: NAFB News Service
