Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan lamented her party’s ineffective trade policies over the last several years and said they helped lead to the election of President Trump.
“Democrats did a terrible job on trade two-and-a-half years ago,” Dingell said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “I’ve said that, I believe it’s one of the reasons that President Trump became president.”
The congresswoman was asked why House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to put the Trump administration’s US-Mexico-Canada trade proposal before the floor for a vote.
“I’ve been in meetings with the speaker,” Dingell said. “And I know that she understands many of us know that we’re not ready. The votes in the house aren’t there yet until these changes take place, but I do think that she understands.”
Pelosi said this week that the House is no closer to considering the measure, which has already been ratified by the governments of Canada and Mexico.
“The Trump Administration’s decision to send Congress a draft statement of administrative action before we have finished working with U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer to ensure the USMCA benefits American workers and farmers is not a positive step,” Pelosi said in a Thursday statement.
Nervous Nancy Pelosi & the Democrat House are getting nothing done. Perhaps they could lead the way with the USMCA, the spectacular & very popular new Trade Deal that replaces NAFTA, the worst Trade Deal in the history of the U.S.A. Great for our Farmers, Manufacturers & Unions!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2019
Democratic inaction on trade, the Trump administration claims, is keeping some 100,000 jobs in limbo.
“Nervous Nancy Pelosi & the Democrat House are getting nothing done,” Trump tweeted Saturday. “Perhaps they could lead the way with the USMCA, the spectacular & very popular new Trade Deal that replaces NAFTA, the worst Trade Deal in the history of the U.S.A. Great for our Farmers, Manufacturers & Unions!”
