Agriculture, Manufacturing to Bear Brunt

Washington D.C. – Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX), issued the following statement today after Mexico announced that it will retaliate against U.S. exports after Congress eliminated the trucking pilot program:

Mr. Camp stated, “While many view the truck pilot program as flawed, we now face retaliation for eliminating it.  Left unresolved, our economy and American jobs will suffer the consequences of losing this vital market for many of our exports.  At this stage, the Administration must develop a better trucking program that not only assures the safety of our highways but also eliminates the new penalties our exports will face.  I stand ready to work with the President to accomplish these goals.”

Mr. Brady went on to say, “Because Congress has terminated the pilot program in violation of our NAFTA obligations, Mexico has announced that it will retaliate against us, as it is entitled to do, by increasing duties on $2.4 billion of U.S. exports of key commodities like wheat, beans, beef, and rice.  Such retaliation makes these U.S. products significantly less competitive and could close the Mexican market to many of our exports.  I urge the Administration to work quickly to develop a stronger and more rigorous program that will protect our highways and avoid exposing our farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers to significant collateral damage through retaliation.  Such an approach would address safety concerns without erecting trade barriers that allow Mexico to retaliate against us and create drastic consequences for our exporters.  If the Administration fails to develop such a program and we continue to disregard our obligations, we are punishing our farmers, ranchers, businesses and workers at a time when our economy is in great distress.”