GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. - Vice President Mike Pence was talking international trade Thursday. He came to Green Valley near Tucson to do it.
He was pushing Congress to approve an updated trade deal with Mexico and Canada and is telling Arizonans they have business and jobs at stake.
At Caterpillar’s proving ground near Green Valley the heavy equipment maker showed off huge mining trucks that run on remote control or simply drive themselves.
Caterpillar sells so much equipment overseas the company’s sales are a measure of the world economy. If sales are up building is booming.
That’s why Vice President Mike Pence picked Caterpillar’s facility to push for passage of the USMCA, the US, Mexico,Canada agreement that updates NAFTA the North American Free Trade agreement.
Pence says the administration fights for American business with agreements like the deal with Mexico and Canada and with tariffs that put pressure on China.
“The President’s been working on opening up markets in the world since day one. We renegotiated the trade agreement with South Korea. We signed the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement with Japan and President Trump put China on notice that’s the era of economic surrender is over. We’re going to defend American jobs and American workers.”
Huge heavy equipment is a big part of Caterpillar’s business and it’s international business. But Arizona has an important stake in international trade too.. There’s produce coming up from Mexico, cars assembled in Mexico from parts made in the U.S. and plenty of goods and services from Arizona moved south for sale in Mexico.”
Earlier speakers like Governor Doug Ducey and Senator Martha McSally also pushed how the new agreement can boost trade and jobs.
They say the USMCA has Congressional support from both parties but say voters should urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put it on the House floor for a vote.
