TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, The United States and Canada have one of the most extensive trading relationships in the world, and Canada is the United States' largest export market, valued at 320 billion dollars in goods and services and the United States is Canada's largest export market, valued at 308 billion dollars in goods and services; and

WHEREAS, Free, fair, open and mutually beneficial trade between our two countries will continue to strengthen the economies of both countries; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, trade between the U.S. and Canada totaled over 1.7 billion dollars in goods and services every day, supporting nine million jobs in the U.S. and 2.1 million jobs in Canada; and

WHEREAS, In the more than twenty years since the three countries entered into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), North American trade has tripled from 340 billion dollars in 1993 to 1.2 trillion dollars in 2016; and

WHEREAS, On March 1, 2018, U.S. Sec. 232 tariffs were announced on steel and aluminum by twenty-five percent and ten percent respectively (Canada and Mexico initially granted waivers); and

WHEREAS, On June 30, 2018, the U.S. revoked the waivers and levied tariffs on both Canada and Mexico; and

WHEREAS, On July 1, 2018, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products totaling 12.8 billion dollars; by July 5th, Mexico had imposed three billion dollars worth of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products; and

WHEREAS, North American integration under NAFTA has helped to make the region more competitive in the world economy by providing highly integrated and valuable supply chains, common rules and harmonized regulations that increase the speed and global competitiveness of our businesses, driving investment and embedding value in each other's economic success, and providing jobs in North American communities that depend on efficient and effective supply chains; and

WHEREAS, Canada and Mexico are the number one and number three export markets for U.S. agriculture products (20.6 billion dollars to Canada and 18.6 billion dollars to Mexico); and

WHEREAS, Since NAFTA was signed in 1992, agriculture exports from the U.S. have increased from 8.7 billion dollars in 1992 to 39 billion dollars in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Canada was Washington's second largest trade partner in 2017, with total exports of 8.8 billion dollars in goods and services annually, representing more than two hundred twenty-three thousand three hundred jobs in Washington; and

WHEREAS, Canada has agreed to grade imports of U.S. wheat in a manner no less favorable than it accords Canadian wheat, and does not require a country of origin statement on its quality grade or inspection certificate; and

WHEREAS, By signing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. have agreed to make targeted improvements to NAFTA that build on the enormously successful North American partnership and our shared competitiveness in the global marketplace;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the U.S. Congress ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement as soon as possible; and

BE IT RESOLVED, Your Memorialists encourage the administration to remove steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Your Memorialists call on Canada and Mexico to subsequently remove retaliatory tariffs on all U.S. goods and services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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