A group of 19 U.S. senators urged the Trump administration to push back the planned June 1 start date for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), saying the short lead time would add undue pressure to U.S. companies during the spread of the coronavirus, according to Reuters.
In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the senators, led by Republican Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), said the new trade deal, which replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), should not enter into force until Mexico and Canada are in full compliance with their commitments.
“Even absent the pandemic, a June 1 deadline would be highly aggressive, and raises questions as to whether businesses have the information they need to adjust to the new rules and comply by that date,” the senators wrote. “We ask you to delay the proposed June 1 entry into force and work with Congress and stakeholders to determine a more feasible timeline.”
