The government shutdown could stall progress on President Trump’s North American Free Trade Agreement replacement, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Analysis of the agreement has stopped during the shutdown as the U.S. International Trade Commission, responsible for examining the trade agreement, remains at a standstill. If continued, Politico reports the shutdown could delay release of the report on the economic impact of the new agreement. The Trade Commission is required to submit the report, which many lawmakers will use to craft their positions on the deal, by March 15th.
USMCA was signed by Trump and his counterparts on November 30th, last year. Trump followed a day later with notification that he would withdraw the current NAFTA if lawmakers didn’t move to approve USMCA quickly.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasters