Press Releases

U.S. Representative Anthony Gonzalez (R-Rocky River) called on the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee to take up the United States Mexico Canada Agreement today in a member’s hearing with the committee. Rep. Gonzalez has been strongly advocating for the trade deal’s passage since a report was released by the U.S. International Trade Commission in April outlining the benefits of the agreement for the U.S. economy, particularly in manufacturing and farming communities like Ohio’s 16^th Congressional District.

Rep. Gonzalez: “When I ran for Congress, I promised my constituents I would do everything in my power, and work through, around and over any political barriers necessary, to champion pro-growth policies that drive economic development in Northeast Ohio. Simply put, this deal will drive our economy to new heights and will provide unquestioned benefits to families across the entire country.”

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, USMCA would raise U.S. real GDP by $68.2 billion and employment by 176,000 jobs with the largest percentage gains in outputs, exports and wages going to the manufacturing industry. Northeast Ohio’s strong manufacturing roots means an economy that relies on trade partners to produce and export numerous top-quality products. Last year alone, Ohio exported $21 billion in goods to Canada, representing 39 percent of the state’s total exports. Ohio’s second largest market was Mexico, with $6.9 billion in exports last year. Ohio farmers would also benefit from USMCA with the removal of trade barriers to Canada’s dairy market, among other key provisions.

Rep. Gonzalez recently authored an op-ed in the Canton Repository calling USMCA the “single most important near-term piece of legislation that Congress can realistically pass between now and the end of the year.” Read the full opinion piece here.