WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO), and U.S. Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL-27) announced Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) will join their Americas Trade and Investment Act, or Americas Act, as co-lead in the House of Representatives. The Americas Act would create an ever-expanding and permanent trade partnership of Western Hemisphere countries and counter China’s growing control over global manufacturing and geopolitics by uniting democracies in our hemisphere.
“Welcome to the team,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Members of both parties in both chambers are pushing to advance the Americans Act and are committed to working towards crafting a solution for our hemisphere that is a consistent, effective, and pro-American worker. This is another step in the right direction.”
“The Americas Act offers the United States the opportunity to deepen our economic partnerships and embrace our shared values across Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Senator Bennet. “I’m glad to welcome Congressman Espaillat to this effort, and I look forward to working together to build bipartisan momentum for this critical project.”
“The Americas Act is stronger than ever with bipartisan support in both houses of the United States Congress,” said Representative Salazar. “With the support of my friend and colleague, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, we are now in a position to advance the work of ensuring the United States and the Western Hemisphere achieves unprecedented American-led prosperity free of Chinese influence.”
“I am happy to have been invited by my colleagues to take part in shaping this historic, bipartisan bill which would elevate U.S. trade with our democratic partners in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America,” said Representative Espaillat. “I strongly believe this partnership has the potential to create a formidable economic alliance that could help curb poverty and lift all nations in the Western Hemisphere. I look forward to working with Senator Cassidy, Senator Bennett, and Congresswoman Salazar to craft a legislative solution that supports American workers, ensures key industries in our Hemisphere are allowed to continue to thrive, lifts up those struggling with poverty abroad, and helps stem the root causes of migration in this important region of the globe.”
Last week, Cassidy and Bennet spoke to the Council of the Americas about the Americas Act. They highlighted the need for the U.S. to reimagine its neglected Latin America policy and take a more comprehensive approach to the hemisphere. They focused on the plan’s mechanism to expand the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the gold standard for trade agreements, and the new investment corporation that would promote economic development across the hemisphere. The returns generated by the investment corporation would fully pay for the plan.
Background
More than 60 million Americans are of Hispanic descent, helping to make the U.S. the fourth-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Together, the hemisphere grows enough food and produces enough critical minerals to sustain every country in the Americas.
Cassidy and Salazar introduced the discussion draft in January. Since its release, the proposal has gained significant momentum and momentum of support, including Latin American leaders and other stakeholders. Learn more about what people are saying.
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