US farmers could get holiday gift from DC, Pelosi hopes to pass USMCA in 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This holiday season farmers are hoping to get a gift from Washington.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement could be wrapped up by Christmas. That’s good news for Republicans who have been pushing for vote on the trade deal for months.

“I’d like to see us get it done this year, I mean that would be my goal,” says Pelosi.

Pelosi says Democrats are ironing out the final details with the Trump Administration, and she’s happy with the deal they reached.

“So we are in a good place. Like I say, I want this to be a template for future trade agreements,” Pelosi says.

She says the deal now includes strict enforcement tools for labor and environmental standards — that’s been a sticking point for Democrats and a big reason why the deal has been held up in Congress for months.

Kansas Republican Roger Marshall and Pennsylvania Republican Glenn Thompson say a vote on USMCA is long overdue, saying, “Each day that passes without a vote is a missed opportunity.”

But even with Democrats, Republicans and the White House all working to pass the USMCA soon, Congress only has a narrow window to get it done. The House only has 11 legislative working days left this year.