Nonproliferat Subcommittee on Terrorism

The Future of the North American Free Trade Agreement Nonproliferat Subcommittee on Terrorism

Twenty-three years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement revolutionized trade and investment between the U. S., Canada, and Mexico. We share thousands of miles of border with Canada and Mexico. They are our neighbors and our natural partners in trade and security. America's strength is closely connected to its economic well-being. When we break down trade barriers, American trade and American jobs increase. Trade is the lifeblood of [the] State of Texas. Last year in Texas, almost 1 million jobs were supported by some form of trade. Texas has been the top exporting State in the United States for 14 consecutive years. The overwhelming majority of Texas exporters are not big corporations, but 93 percent of the Texas exporters are small and medium-size businesses. In my district of Houston, over half of the economy depends on trade. Houston has one of the largest ports in the world and is the oil and gas capital of the world. Mexico is Texas' number-one exporting partner. Over 10,000 trucks a day pass the Texas-Mexico border, all involved in trade. Texas is just one of the many States that rely on NAFTA to fuel the economy. Study after study have shown that increased trade leads to increased jobs for all Americans. More jobs mean more wealth for Americans. NAFTA supports 14 million jobs in the United States, and, thanks to NAFTA, trade between the U. S., Mexico, and Canada has tripled. Nearly every industry is affected in one way or another by NAFTA. The U. S. economy relies on NAFTA.