U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a news conference on the USMCA trade agreement on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 10, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Democrats on Tuesday claimed victory in negotiating changes to a U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement to ensure better protection for workers, the environment and remove key provisions that they said would have benefited big pharmaceutical companies.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the agreement reached after a year of tough negotiations was “infinitely better” than what the Trump administration initially proposed, calling it “a victory for American workers.”

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said sections of the text would be reviewed by lawmakers, but he saw no reason for “unnecessary delays” in bringing the trade pact to a vote on the House floor. It is expected to pass the Senate.