Washington, DC—Below is a statement by Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) on the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):

“Today, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement goes into effect replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. Conference of Mayors applauds this important milestone and the leadership of the Administration and Congress in developing a 21st century trade agreement that will level the playing field with our two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. U.S. metro areas play a critical role in American exports. We believe this agreement stands to make our country stronger and bolster local economies across the country by creating jobs for America’s workers.

“During the 88th Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors, held virtually on June 30, 2020, mayors passed a resolution calling for the smooth implementation of the USMCA amid the COVID-10 Pandemic.

“Mayors consistently called for the bipartisan spirit that guided these discussions and yielded a stronger agreement.  We hope this can serve as a template moving forward as we continue to partner with Congress and the Administration on solving the challenges facing the American people.”