Can the Trump administration and negotiators from Canada and Mexico forge a NAFTA deal in the next 24 hours?
Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar said that's an important deadline because Congress needs to know by then if the president intends to sign the current deal so that they can vote on it before their session ends. However, no negotiations are scheduled within the next 24 hours.
“If the president doesn’t give us the notification to Congress, it’s going to make it very difficult for us to vote on it this year because of the current timetable,” Cuellar said.
State leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott have been closely monitoring NAFTA negotiations between the three countries. Abbott said in letters to the Trump administration that elements of the current trade deal most beneficial to Texas must remain intact.
If the Trump administration misses the deadline, the existing NAFTA deal remains in place unless Canada, Mexico or the United States withdraws, which would require six months notice.
Ryan Poppe can be reached at rpoppe@tpr.org or on Twitter @RyanPoppe1
