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Senate to vote on USMCA this week

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the full Senate will likely pass the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement this week.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, the Kentucky Republican reversed course on earlier comments that a Senate vote on USMCA would not happen until after the impeachment trial of President Trump.

McConnell says passage of the agreement will be good for the Senate and the country, adding he expects strong bipartisan support.

USMCA has moved quickly through several Senate committees, the latest being the Budget Committee advancing it by voice vote.

Meanwhile, a Democratic presidential debate Tuesday saw most candidates endorse USMCA.

The exceptions were Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and businessman Tom Steyer.  Both criticized the deal for not addressing climate change.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says she supports USMCA because it makes substantive improvements to labor and environmental standards, and because it’s harder on pharmaceutical companies than NAFTA.