Trump says he may send USMCA deal to Congress soon, triggering deadline – Washington Examiner

President Trump said Thursday that he may send his U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade to Congress soon, imposing a 60-day deadline for lawmakers to vote on the deal.

Trump hedged, though, saying he wasn’t certain whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would actually allow a vote, saying that she has “problems.”

“She’s a mess. Look, let’s face it, she doesn’t understand it … It’s finished, it’s signed,” Trump said. “Mexico has approved the deal. Canada has approved the deal. They’re waiting to get a signal from her.” He called on farmers to press Democrats to get Pelosi to bring it up for a vote.

“She’s got to get up to snuff. She has to learn the bill,” Trump said. “I think she wants to approve the bill. [U.S. Trade Representative] Bob Lighthizer is waiting to get the okay from her to send it in. But we’re at a point where we’re just going to have to send it in.”

Under Trade Promotion Authority, the law covering congressional approval of trade deals, the House must vote within 60 days of a deal being formally submitted by the president for it to be ratified. If a vote isn’t held the deal, the process for submitting the bill must restarted, which would delay a potential vote for several more months at least.

Pelosi has repeatedly said that the USMCA deal, which would replace the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement, needs strong enforcement provisions included in it before it can be brought up for a vote,. Several Democrats echoed that position earlier in the week.

Trump said Pelosi had told Lighthizer she needed two weeks to read over the deal after she receives it. Trump said that was too long given that she was presiding over a “do-nothing” Congress.