Federal Spotlight: House Democrats “Within Range” of USMCA Deal

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that Democrats were “within range” of reaching a deal on USMCA. In a statement, she said, “Now, we need to see our progress in writing from the (Office of the U.S.) Trade Representative for final review.” House Democrats and the Trump administration have been negotiating for months on the agreement. Enforcement of labor and environmental standards have been the primary concerns for Democrats. The window is narrowing for ratification, as most contend the accord must be approved by the end of the year to avoid election year politics, which could stall the proposal indefinitely. Also on Monday, Mexican President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador said the Mexican government will send a letter to the speaker encouraging Congress to ratify the agreement.