In an interview with Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto this afternoon, Senator Portman highlighted his support for updating the NAFTA agreement. He discussed positive trade progress with Mexico, including how it will benefit job creation and economic growth in the United States, and voiced his concerns about the misuse of Section 232 in non-national security situations. Recently, Portman introduced legislation called the Trade Security Act, which will reform the tariff process under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and increase congressional oversight.  

Excerpts of his interview can be found below and a video can be found here:

PORTMAN ON HIS SUPPORT FOR UPDATING NAFTA 

“He is right with regard to some countries, typically China, as you know. That has been the focus of a lot of us over time—how do you get a level playing field with China? That requires being tougher, which is why we have to do some of the tough things that we're doing. With regard to some of those other countries like Canada and Mexico, we need to have an agreement. I was for a new NAFTA agreement, we need to update it. It is almost 25 years old. But we also don’t want to have no NAFTA because that’s our biggest trading partner in Ohio and other states. We do have lower tariffs with those countries as a result of those agreements.”

PORTMAN ON THE TRADE PROGRESS WITH MEXICO 

“There are some great things in there, I think, for opening up more markets in Mexico for agriculture products among others. Really good stuff on intellectual property. And also some things on biologics, in other words, to have a longer period there even than in the TPP agreement, for instance—double the time. That helps us as a country. There are some good things in there for the United States and our workers and our farmers. But, the sunset provision has been a concern of the Wall Street Journal and mine. Then second is this arbitration panel for investors. Those two things, I think, are a lot better than they were in the original negotiations a few months ago. We’re making progress. I think this agreement with Mexico is a step in the right direction. I think if we can now complete a similar agreement with Canada, we are off to not just a better relationship between the three countries, but to a stronger U.S. economy.”

PORTMAN ON HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE MISUSE OF SECTION 232 

“We have been tough with some of our friends with regard to using Section 232, which is the national security waiver—Australia, the UK, Canada—true allies who have been with us in Iraq and Afghanistan and share so many values. We have to be careful. I think that if it all begins to be negotiated out, we will have a stronger trade agreement with those countries and that will be better for our relationship. I think it’s a risk worth taking, but I have not been, as you know, supportive of using this national security waiver with countries that do not create a national security threat.” 

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