VP Pence in Taylor promoting USMCA plan to keep jobs in America
TAYLOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Vice President Mike Pence made a trip to Taylor to a friendly crowd at Motor City Solutions on Wednesday afternoon.
"The motor city is the car capital of the world, congratulations," said Pence, who also made a stop in Dearborn as well.
Pence spoke to the crowd of nearly 300 mostly automotive suppliers and those in the auto trade, that want to Congress to ratify the new NAFTA trade deal - called USMCA.
"The time has come for the Congress of the United States to pass the largest trade deal in American history," Pence said.
The agreement would significantly change the NAFTA local origination of jobs- meaning jobs would stay in the United States - and carry with it a wage of $15 an hour minimum. That would provide incentives to companies not to do business in Mexico.
"We are already seeing The Big Three, we are already seeing American automotive companies reinvesting in this country," Pence said.
And representatives of the Big Three were in attendance - something a vice president was well aware of.
"Unfortunately eight out of the last 11 auto plants in North America were built in Mexico, instead of the United States of America," he said. "Men and women I'm here to say, those days are over."
The vice president said $68.2 billion wound be added to the U.S. economy and create 176,000 new jobs, according to a study from the International Trade Commission. But some Democrats in Congress are stalling passing USMCA.
"I know the president is going to be meeting with the Speaker of the House next week and they will be talking a broad range of issues," Pence said. "Our hope is that Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are going to recognize just how important the USMCA is."
"We need to put people over politics," said Congressman Paul Mitchell (R-Michigan). "By focusing on jobs and the issues in our communities. There are a lot of auto workers who live in my district. They want their jobs."
At the moment there is no timetable as to when this might be voted on, but Pence said he would like to have it voted on by the end of the year.
"The motor city and Michigan need to be heard and that's why I started here," Pence said.
>>WATCH the entire speech below or on FOX 2's Facebook page HERE.