Whereas, NAFTA is significant for the American economy. Trade with Canada and Mexico supports nearly 12 million American jobs, and nearly 5 million of those jobs are supported by increased NAFTA trade. Since the agreement began in 1994, trade with Canada and Mexico has nearly quadrupled to $1.3 trillion, and the two countries buy more than one-third of U.S. merchandise exports. U.S. service exports to Canada and Mexico have also tripled, rising from $27.5 billion in 1993 to $91.3 billion in 2017, thanks to the trade agreement’s new market access and clearer rules; and
Whereas, Trade with Canada and Mexico is significant to U.S. states. For 43 states, our contiguous international neighbors represent the first or second largest export market, and all but one state counts Canada or Mexico as a top three trading partner. Canada is Michigan’s largest export market, and Mexico is Michigan’s third largest export market. NAFTA has also contributed to a 300 percent increase in Michigan’s agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico; and
Whereas, Small- and medium-sized enterprises in the United States rely on trade with Canada and Mexico to support and grow their business. Canada and Mexico are the top two export destinations for U.S. small- and medium-sized enterprises, more than 125,000 of which sold their goods and services in Canada and Mexico in 2014; and
Whereas, The currently negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), intended to replace NAFTA, fails to do enough to support U.S. workers. It would undermine income, health care, and pension plans for creative arts workers. It fails to level the playing field between U.S. and Mexican autoworkers. It will not provide the certainty and stability needed by Michigan and U.S. farmers; and
Whereas, The currently negotiated USMCA adds monopoly rights for pharmaceutical firms, locking in policies that keep U.S. drug prices outrageously high. The availability of affordable health care is of the utmost importance, and reducing medicine prices is a demand that unites Americans nationwide; and
Whereas, The currently negotiated USMCA does not raise wages here or in Mexico, nor would it reverse NAFTA’s long track record of outsourcing middle-class jobs and pollution. Unless the current text’s labor and environmental standards are strengthened, and swift and certain funding and enforcement mechanisms are added, corporations will continue to outsource jobs and facilities to Mexico where they can violate international labor rights and pay workers unconscionably low wages. Disincentivizing that practice is good for workers in Michigan and nationwide; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That we urge the United States Trade Representative to renegotiate the United States -Mexico-Canada Agreement; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Trade Representative, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
The question being on the adoption of the substitute,
Senator MacGregor requested the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered, 1/5 of the members present voting therefor.
The substitute (S-2) was not adopted, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor, as follows: