(NAFB) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggests the Senate will vote on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) this week. Bloomberg News expects a vote Thursday, as the Senate committees required to sign off on the implementing legislation are doing so quickly. However, a final vote has not been confirmed.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the agreement on a vote of 16-4 Tuesday morning. The Senate Budget Committee also approved the trade agreement Tuesday. Up next, the bill must be approved by the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, along with the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee today.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee changed its hearing from Thursday to today, and the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to do the same, sending the agreement to the full Senate for approval.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered optimism of a vote while speaking to the press Tuesday afternoon.
“We are, it looks like, going to be able to process the USMCA here in the Senate this week. That will be good news for the Senate and for the county and is something I think we have broad bipartisan agreement on.”
The House is sending the impeachment articles to the Senate this week, and the trial will likely start next week, providing few hours in session for the Senate to sneak a vote on USMCA before the impeachment hearings.
Source: From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters