Come on Fs Stes Comes ov hanowne Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker USS. House of Representatives ‘Washington, DC 20515 “Congress of the United States ‘Thursday, December $, 2019 uuse of Representatives peruse ‘Blashington, WE 20515 cognamone Honorable Steny Hoyer Majority Leader USS. House of Representatives Washington DC 20515, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer, | write today encouraged by the progress made by the House Working Group in negotiations with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer over the remaining provisions in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). However, with only 9 legislative days left on the calendar, I urge you to finalize the agreement before the end of the yea. ‘Trade is fundamental tothe state of Iowa, Lowa ranks first in the nation in exports of com, pork, feed and other grains, and is number two in soybeans. Last year alone low exported $4.2 billion in goods to Canada, 30 percent of the state's total exports, and $23 billion to Mexico, Overall, Towa is the second largest agricultural exporting state in the country. Modernizing our trade agreement with our two closest neighbors is critical to ensuring market stability for Iowa. Towa farmers have had a tough year with devastating weather across the state, ongoing trade \wars harming export markets, and an EPA set on undermining the RFS and destroying demand for com and soybeans, A finalized trade agreement would provide certainty for farmers and producers by ending the threat of back and forth retaliatory tariff that this administration has pursued. ‘We must take advantage ofthis opportunity to strengthen our trade agreement with two of our largest trading pariners. The inal agreement must ensure there is an effective mechanism for labor enforcement and that the cos of biologic prescription drugs isnot increased. | am pleased ‘on the reports that progress have been made and urge you to work without delay to finalize the ‘negotiations to ensure market stability for our state's largest markets and provide certainty for ‘our farmers, ‘Thank you for your time and attention to this mate. Cindy Axne ‘Member of Congress