Today, the House of Representatives will vote on the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), and IBM sent a letter to all members of Congress calling on them to vote in support of its passage.

Here is IBM’s statement on the vote:

Statement on US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement Vote in the House of Representatives
IBM calls on the House to pass USMCA today. We appreciate Congressional leadership championing the agreement’s strong digital trade provisions and look forward to its full ratification.

USMCA is the gold standard for digital trade. Cross-border data flows are already a greater driver of global GDP than manufactured goods, and the free flow of data across North America will unlock significant job creation and economic growth.
Christopher Padilla, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs, IBM

And here’s the full text of the letter:

December 19, 2019

Dear Members of Congress:

I write to express IBM’s strong support for the US – Mexico – Canada trade agreement (USMCA) and to ask you vote in support of passage when it comes to the House floor.

Many in Congress have worked with the administration to ensure that the final agreement meets the needs of a broad group of American stakeholders. The result is a modernized agreement that recognizes the importance of our relationship with Canada and Mexico, including the 12 million American workers whose jobs support the $1.4 trillion of trade within North America.

The USMCA also reflects a 21st Century economy that increasingly depends on the secure flow of data between countries as well as the flow of goods. The agreement’s new digital trade chapter goes further than any agreement negotiated to date, enabling the free flow of data across borders and limiting requirements to localize data. These provisions – and many others – set a new global standard in digital trade that will help companies and citizens put data to work for economic growth.

IBM supports the USMCA as negotiated, and we look forward to full Congressional approval.

Sincerely,

Christopher A. Padilla
Vice President
Government & Regulatory Affairs
IBM Corporation

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