Rep. Jimmy Panetta to meet with Mexican president, discuss trade deal

Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s office announced that Panetta and four other members of the House Ways and Means Committee are traveling to Mexico to meet with government officials and local workers. They leave Monday evening and will stay through Tuesday.

The plan is to talk to officials and workers about trade and the USMCA, which replaced NAFTA. His office said the trip comes as the House continues to work with the Trump administration to make improvements to the agreement.

During the trip, Panetta will meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Finance Minister Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez and Labor Minister Luisa María Alcalde Luján. They are expected to discuss USMCA and the Mexican budget. Panetta and the other House members are also set to discuss USMCA and labor issues with the president.

“My colleagues and I are working hard to ensure that USMCA meets our standards for the environment, workers, medicines, and enforceability … I will continue to advocate for the strongest possible deal, one that gives certainty to our farmers and agriculture industry here on the Central Coast,” Panetta said.

In District 20, Panetta said Mexico is the third largest trading partner. Canada is No. 1.

KION 2019