Ducey, McSally push USMCA trade deal during Arizona-Mexico summit

PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and U.S. Sen. Martha McSally promoted cross-border trade Friday during the closing day of Arizona-Mexico Commission Summit in Phoenix.

Ducey touted his state’s partnership with Mexico while sharing the stage with Sonora Gov. Claudia Pavlovich as part of the commission’s 60th anniversary celebration at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.

“This has been a great relationship built on good faith and goodwill,” he said.

The governors spoke about the importance of ratifying the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the negotiated replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Productive dialogue with Gov. @ClaudiaPavlovic at the #AMCCELEBRATES60 Decision Makers Forum on the importance of the AZ-Mex relationship. Looking forward to building on our cross-border friendship & partnership! @AzMxCom pic.twitter.com/VKxgtTGG7a

— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) June 28, 2019

Ducey said the deal “will result in more trade, more traffic and goods flowing through our ports and more opportunities for all our citizens in all our countries.”

Earlier this month, Ducey and Pavlovich released joint letters to both federal governments urging adoption of the agreement.

Soon after, Mexico’s Senate voted in favor of the plan, which still needs approval from U.S. and Canadian lawmakers.

“Without a doubt, this is what ensures we’re all able to have opportunities along and throughout our borders,” Pavlovich said in Spanish.

McSally told reporters at the event she hopes Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats can get behind the agreement.

“Modernizing USMCA is the right thing to do, so let’s move forward, put the politics aside, and bring it up for a vote,” McSally said.

“I really just think the pressure needs to be put on the reasonable — and other — Democrats in Congress to put pressure on Pelosi to bring it up.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Griselda Zetino contributed to this report.

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