Press Releases

WASHINGTON—Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas), a Member of the Ways and Means Committee and USMCA leadership whip team, voted in favor of approving the implementing legislation for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) today. Rep. Estes has championed the trade deal since it was announced by President Trump last year.

"As I have said for more than a year, passing the USMCA is great news for Kansas and our country," said Rep. Estes. "The journey to this day has been longer and harder than it should have been. For too long, the USMCA took a back seat to partisan politics, causing farmers, ranchers, and workers to miss out on economic growth and jobs in the meantime. However today, we take a giant step forward to finally make this free and fair trade deal a reality. I thank President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer for their leadership to follow through on another campaign promise and negotiate a critical deal for all Americans."

Prior to today's vote, Rep. Estes spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about the importance of approving the USMCA. Watch his remarks here.

Following the vote, several organizations released statements praising the USMCA and Rep. Estes' work on the trade deal.

"USMCA is an important tool for Wichita and Kansas companies and farmers who rely on trade with our partners in Canada and Mexico," said Karyn Page, president/ CEO of Kansas Global Trade Services. "We can’t thank Congressman Estes enough for his leadership and hard work to get USMCA passed!"

"Kansas Farm Bureau commends members of the Kansas Congressional delegation for helping all Kansans by voting for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement," said Rich Felts, president of Kansas Farm Bureau. "USMCA builds on the success of the NAFTA agreement, and will ultimately lead to greater market access and stronger partnerships with our nearest neighbors. Kansas agriculture is the backbone of our state’s export-focused economy that has benefited under NAFTA. In the midst of a challenging agriculture economy, the farmers and ranchers of Kansas stand ready to meet the demand of the gains achieved in the USMCA."

"The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is grateful to Rep. Estes for his efforts to modernize and strengthen trade across North America and for his vote in favor of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement," said Dennis Slater, president of AEM. "The agreement ensures continued duty-free access to our industry’s largest export markets, creates tens of thousands of new jobs, and adds $68 million to the U.S. economy. We applaud Rep. Estes for his work to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of our industry, the local communities we serve, and the 20,000 hard-working men and women of the equipment manufacturing industry in Kansas."

Ron Estes is a 5th generation Kansan and represents Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means.