PRINTER'S NO. 3218
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
700
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY BRADFORD, JANUARY 30, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, JANUARY 30, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Urging the President of the United States to sign the revised
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade and enforce
the agreement to ensure that the agreement benefits workers,
enforces stronger environmental protections, improves
agricultural prospects and provides safe working conditions
for all workers.
WHEREAS, In 2018, Pennsylvania exported $10,839,000 worth of
goods to Canada, representing 26.3% of Pennsylvania's exports;
and
WHEREAS, In 2018, Pennsylvania exported $4,219,000 worth of
goods to Mexico, representing 10.2% of Pennsylvania's exports;
and
WHEREAS, It is crucial for the future of Pennsylvania's
economy that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as
the USMCA, create a system to enable fair trade, benefit all
workers and eliminate mistakes from past agreements; and
WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives approved
the revised USMCA on December 19, 2019, and the United States
Senate approved the measure on January 16, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Since 2017, the AFL-CIO and other labor
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
organizations have fought for better standards in the USMCA and
sought to create a trade agreement that holds nations and
corporations accountable to ensure that trade rules are
respected, followed and enforced; and
WHEREAS, On December 10, 2019, AFL-CIO President Richard
Trumka announced that the AFL-CIO endorsed the revised USMCA and
stated the revised agreement is a "vast improvement over both
the original NAFTA and the flawed proposal brought forward in
2017"; and
WHEREAS, The USMCA must improve and strengthen environmental
protections through robust monitoring and accountability,
including the notification of trade partners when environmental
violations occur; and
WHEREAS, Farmers need broader access to markets to export
their goods, in particular, the dairy, poultry and egg
industries; and
WHEREAS, All workers deserve respect, fair wages and safe
working conditions, and the USMCA must safeguard that fair labor
practices are enforced; and
WHEREAS, An agreement that focuses on workers, workers'
rights, the environment and the enforcement of rules improves
the Pennsylvania economy and protects Pennsylvania's trade
partnerships for years to come; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the President of the United
States to sign the revised United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement
on trade and enforce the agreement to ensure that the agreement
benefits workers, enforces stronger environmental protections,
improves United States agricultural prospects and provides safe
working conditions for all workers; and be it further
20200HR0700PN3218 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United
States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the
United States Senate, the Consulate of Canada in Pennsylvania
and the Consulate of Mexico in Pennsylvania.
20200HR0700PN3218 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5