Zach Mottl, Congressman Grothman, dairy farmer Dave Daniels and moderator Curtis Ellis
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WI – Wednesday, Lyons IL's 4th generation manufacturer Zach Mottl, a Wisconsin congressman and a dairy farmer told an audience gathered at ULINE Industries in Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin that the Trump Administration's pending trade deal was urgent for Americans employed in manufacturing and agriculture.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has been stalled in the US House for months, and the new deal – which most trade specialists acknowledge is better for the US than former President Bill Clinton's North American Free Trade Agreement was – could be squelched until after the 2020 election. At least, that's what Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to be working towards.
"NAFTA was put in 25 years ago, … and technology has changed and the way we do business has changed," Mottl said. "We've watched jobs go out of the country since then. NAFTA worked well for Mexico, but not for America. We need a new trade deal."
Mottl's emphasis as a manufacturer was complemented by Congressman Glenn Grothman's thoughts that "We're not a wealthy country because we have law firms. We're a wealthy country because we make stuff." Grothman urged those in the audience to contact their federal lawmakers to push House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call the USMCA for a vote.
After the panel, Vice President Mike Pence spoke about the trade deal and its importance.
The 25-minute panel discussion is below:
