Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican, backed the Trump administration’s decision not to extend the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement for another 16 years.
Smith said the decision avoids “simply rubber stamping the status quo.” Trade Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith, a Nebraska Republican, described the pause as an opportunity to ensure that all parties fulfill their commitments under the agreement.
“President Trump’s decision not to renew is not a termination — it is an opportunity to strengthen enforcement, so the agreement functions as intended,” Adrian Smith said.
Some Democrats also supported the decision. Other Democrats opposed it, including Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, who called the decision a “grave mistake” and urged the administration to use the review to strengthen the agreement rather than retreat from it.
The lawmakers issued their statements after the USMCA joint review on July 1, 2026. Smith’s comments were published by the House Ways and Means Committee; Adrian Smith’s remarks appeared in a U.S. Trade Representative release; and Beyer’s statement was released by his congressional office.
