New England’s economy depends significantly on US-Canada-Mexico Trade Agreement

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NEW ENGLAND DEPENDS MORE THAN YOU PROBABLY KNOW ON THE U.S.-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT IN THE CONGRESS.

IT’S BEEN APPROVED BY THE HOUSE AND RATIFIED BY THE HOUSE AND HEADED OVER TO THE U.S. SENATE, BUT LET ME SHOW YOU SOME NUMBERS AND HERE THEY ARE.

U.S.-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT AND NEW ENGLAND, $12 BILLION IN GOODS AND SERVICES EXPORTED TO CANADA. 4.2 BILLION IN GOODS AND SERVICES EXPORTED TO MEXICO. 430,000 NEW ENGLAND JOBS AT STAKE JUST WITH CANADA.

NEW ENGLAND COUNCIL IS AN ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF NEW ENGLAND, SIX STATES AND IN WASHINGTON, PRIMARILY ON THIS IN PARTICULAR AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT, AND NEW ENGLAND AND THE REASON, THIS IS BIPARTISAN. WHEN WE HEAR HOW WASHINGTON IS SO PARTISAN, IT’S GRIDLOCK AND NOTHING IS GETTING DONE OTHER THAN IMPEACHMENT, IMPEACHMENT, THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT THE AFL-CIO SUPPORTED AND THE LARGEST BUSINESS GROUP IN WASHINGTON, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUPPORTED.

DEMOCRATS THAT HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR A TRADE BILL VOTE FOR THIS BILL AND WE’VE HAD REPUBLICANS WITH SOME OF THE LANGUAGE AND TRADE BILL NEVER VOTED FOR IT.

THE PRESIDENT WANTED IT AND IT PASSED. IT PASSED THE HOUSE AND TWO MEMBERS HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, FOR CONGRESSMAN PAPAS AND ANNIE KUSTER DESERVE CREDIT WORKING ON THE BILL.

IT’S A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF WORKING TOGETHER. HAVING SAID THAT, THIS BILL WILL BE A TEMPLATE, I BELIEVE, FOR FUTURE TRADE BILLS AND THERE IS TALK ALREADY ABOUT FUTURE TRADE BILLS WITH U.K. AND EU, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, WHICH IS GOING TO BE TERRIFIC NEWS FOR NEW ENGLAND AND FOR OUR COUNTRY.

NOW, THE OTHER THING THAT YOU’VE DONE RECENTLY, YOU’VE CREATED A DIRECTORY FOR COLLEGES AND BUSINESSES, PARTNERSHIPS IN NEW ENGLAND AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COLLEGES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT A TIED IN, AND A LOT OF COLLEGES BELONG TO THE COUNSEL.

THIS IS THE THIRD EDITION OF WHAT WE HAVE WITH THE TALENT PIPELINE BECAUSE WE’VE HEARD FROM MANY BUSINESSES SAYING WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH SKILLED WORKERS HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IN NEW ENGLAND AND WHAT WE DID, BECAUSE OF THE REPRESENTATION OF BRINGING TOGETHER COLLEGES THAT ARE MEMBERS YOU ALLUDED TO AND TO THE MID SIZED EMPLOYERS.

WE BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER SAYING LET’S DEVELOP SOME PROGRAMS WE CAN GET KIDS TRAINED INTO THE WORK FORCE BECAUSE IT’S A SUCH A BIG ISSUE.

WHAT WE DID, WE IDENTIFIED 100 PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND AND ALL OF THESE COLLEGES THAT ARE WORKING ON INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICESHIPS AND REALLY, HANDS ON PROGRAMS, I THINK, IS EXCITING FOR ALL OF THESE KIDS AND WE WANT TO USE THAT AS A MODEL FOR OTHER BUSINESSES TO SAY WE DON’T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. LOOK AT EXAMPLES OF KIDS EXPOSED TO SOME MUCH THESE NEW TRADES AND IN YOU INDUSTRIES AND THEY WILL BE PREPARED FOR THE NEW 21ST CENTURY.

PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY ARE EVA VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ECONOMY FROM YOU ON YOUR WEBSITE.

Statements made by Jim Brett, President of the New England’s Business Council

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