President Trump promised to ditch NAFTA for a better deal with Mexico and Canada. In the end, a deal not much different from NAFTA was struck. Farmers want this deal implemented. Rep. Hagedorn tells us the Democrats are holding it up. But the facts are the White House delayed sending the finalized text or the required impact assessment to Congress, pushing back the time Congress needs to review the treaty.

It is very important that farmers have reassurance that normal international commodity trade is returning. USMCA will help that, but members of Congress rightly have serious concerns about some nasty provisions hidden in the agreement.

Point: USMCA gives U.S. pharmaceutical industry a 10-year sweetheart deal, blocking competition from cheaper Mexican and Canadian generic drugs. Not only will big pharma set astronomical prices here, they can charge excessive prices in Mexico and Canada. Drug companies will become international gougers.

By placing a 10-year guaranteed protection in the trade deal, pharmaceutical companies will successfully prohibit Congress from creating earlier competition here. One pharmaceutical executive admitted they planned to block U.S. regulation of drug companies by “enshrining” protection in a free-trade agreement.

Our farmers are hurting, in part because Trump shredded NAFTA. The USMCA might help them — not as much as ending Trump’s trade war with China — but any relief would be welcome. The Trump administration is trying to use the farm crisis to force quick ratification of USMCA without Congressional oversight. President Trump and Rep. Hagedorn are cynically exploiting the trade crisis created by Trump to push through an agreement with serious problems.

I wish we had independent congressional representation with the courage to speak up and ask needed questions. President Trump is loud enough on his own; we do not need Rep. Hagedorn parroting his rhetoric.

Debra Hogenson

Waseca