The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) issued a statement today from Bill Long, president and CEO of MEMA and current president and COO of AASA, urging Congress to pass the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, created by the Trump administration to replace the 25-year-old NAFTA agreement. 

The statement reads:

“The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) represents the largest sector of manufacturing jobs in the United States and is a critical part of the American economy. More than 871,000 Americans are directly employed by the auto parts sector – a number that is up 19 percent since 2012. Our industry’s continued strength depends on a strong North American supply chain.

“MEMA supports and urges the U.S. Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) without delay. The USMCA will provide economic certainty and opportunity for manufacturing growth in the United States and throughout the region. This economic certainty is essential for U.S. suppliers to advance the safety and fuel-efficiency technologies required to be competitive in the global mobility marketplace.

“As the U.S. Congress moves forward with passage of the USMCA, MEMA will continue working with the Trump Administration to resolve U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico and to clarify the implementation rules governing the agreement. MEMA strongly supports passage of the USMCA as it will serve as a catalyst for further manufacturing and job growth in the United States,” Long stated in the message to Congress.