Senator Lankford Statement on US-Mexico Trade Announcement

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) was encouraged by the President’s announcement yesterday regarding trade with Mexico, an initial step toward completing renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Lankford has been actively engaged in the conversation on trade as the NAFTA negotiations have directly impacted many in Oklahoma, including farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers. Once the agreement is finalized, Congress must vote to approve any new trade agreement.

“Yesterday’s NAFTA announcement provides some much-needed relief for many Americans, including Oklahoma farmers and ranchers who will continue to benefit from zero tariffs on goods traded between the US and Mexico,” said Lankford. “I look forward to reviewing more details in the days ahead to ensure that a renegotiated agreement is indeed an improvement over the current deal. Any new agreement must provide economic opportunities for the American people and ensure US businesses can remain globally competitive. I ask President Trump and his team to keep working to bring Canada back into negotiations so that US workers, consumers, and businesses can reap the broad economic benefits of NAFTA. As I have said since NAFTA renegotiations began last year, it is essential that we have a beneficial deal in place as soon as possible so that Oklahoma farmers and ranchers have certainty as we head into the harvest season.”

In March, Lankford sent a letter to President Trump to ask him to reevaluate tariff proposals and later spoke on the Senate floor to urge the Administration to resolve trade negotiations quickly. During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Lankford questioned US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on the Administration’s goals to resolve trade negotiations and continue to work to open new trade markets the day after Lankford met with the President at the White House on the same topic. 

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