North American Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico approved

The Senate of the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly approved a new North American trade agreement Thursday that rewrites the rules of trade with Canada and Mexico .

The vote was 89 to 10. Previously, the House of Representatives approved of the revised agreement.

This vote gives President Donald Trump a major policy win before senators turn their full attention to his impeachment trial.

The measure goes to Trump for his signature. It would replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, which tore down most trade barriers and triggered a surge in trade. But Trump and other critics blamed that pact for encouraging U.S. companies to move their manufacturing plants south of the border to take advantage of low-wage Mexican laborers.

Passage of the trade bill, came one day after Trump signed a new trade agreement with China, easing trade tensions between the economic powers.

The Senate Majority Leader, Republican Mitch McConnell described the agreement as a major win for the Trump administration and a major win for those who are ready to move on from “the season of the toxic political noise.”

U.S. Congress

U.S. Senate of the U.S. Congress

Donald Trump

Mitch McConnell

North American Trade Agreement

lower house of U.S. Congress

free trade