ASA Advocacy participated in a fly-in hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers to tell Congress to pass the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) now.

This is especially important to our members because the Congressional passage of the USMCA will help manufacturers grow in the United States, compete globally and support millions of well-paying manufacturing jobs across the country.

The fly-in flooded the Hill with 140 meetings over the day. We met with Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-D-05), Rep. Daniel Lipinksi (IL-D-03), Rep. Danny Davis (IL-D-07) and Rep. Sean Casten (IL-D-06). Our message was clear and concise; North America trade is critical for manufacturers across America, the USMCA helps strengthen and modernize America’s innovation engine, the USMCA expands America’s manufacturing access to Canada and Mexico, and the USMCA levels the playing field for manufactures in America.

The continued success of U.S. manufacturing depends on our critical North American partnerships. Canada and Mexico alone purchase one-fifth of the total value of U.S. manufacturing outpost. Canada and Mexico purchase more U.S.-made goods than our next 10 trading partners combined, despite representing only 6% of the world’s population.

The USMCA updates and makes significant improvements in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and provides manufacturers much-needed certainty within the North American market. In fact, the USMCA has the best labor and environmental provisions in any trade agreement, including the original NAFTA.

Let us not forget to talk about jobs! The jobs of more than two million American manufacturing workers depends on exports to Canada and Mexico, along with more than 43,000 small- and medium-size businesses. I also conveyed the message that if our manufacturers are strong, our distributors will be strong!

What can you do to help Congressional passage of the USMCA? We have started a grassroots campaign to help urge Congress to pass the USMCA immediately. We cannot wait another year for this agreement.

Please click here to send your letters to your members of Congress. Also, please forward the link to your employees, friends and family. There is power in numbers and Congress needs to hear from us NOW! A vote for the USMCA is a vote for America’s manufacturing workers!