WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Small Business Administration Acting Administrator Chris Pilkerton issued the following statement in response to the U.S. House of Representative’s passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):

“Yet again President Trump kept his promise to the American people by replacing NAFTA with USMCA, a modern trade agreement for American workers and businesses,” said Acting Administrator Pilkerton. “This bipartisan agreement will benefit small businesses across our nation. American entrepreneurs will have a strong, free and fair trade agreement in place with the first-ever chapter on small business. The USMCA cuts red tape at the border, decreasing costs and streamlining paperwork that often hurts small businesses as they don't have the resources to navigate through the complex regulations. USMCA is a catalyst for America’s 30 million small businesses that employ half the private-sector workforce and create 2/3 of all new jobs. Under President Trump’s leadership, the economy is growing, wages are rising and small business optimism is at historic levels. This agreement is vital to gaining fair access to markets for small businesses and the long-term success of our nation’s economy.”

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.