Ahead of USMCA Review, Peters Leads Colleagues in Calling on Top U.S. Trade Representative to Prioritize Protecting American Manufacturing Jobs

WASHINGTON, DC - Ahead of the upcoming United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review process this summer, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) led a group of his Senate colleagues in calling on U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer to prioritize protecting American manufacturing jobs in any USMCA renegotiations.

USMCA rules require a Summer 2026 review of the trade agreement, a process which gives the three member countries an opportunity to consider possible revisions and renew the agreement through 2042. Peters, along with U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), outlined their top USMCA priorities in a letter to USTR Greer, including expanding domestic manufacturing, protecting U.S. businesses against unfair trade practices by the Chinese Communist Party, and supporting American labor. The senators represent a key group of Midwest states with robust manufacturing sectors and workforces.

"As senators representing manufacturing states, we agree that changes to our economic and trading landscape and relationships need improvement. Our current landscape is the result of policy choices and through policy choices, we must demand better," the senators wrote. "The way that it is best done is through a holistic industrial strategy that includes targeted tariffs to achieve strategic trade goals, enforcing trade laws we have on the books, and the robust renegotiation of trade deals to get a better deal for American manufacturers, consumers, and workers."

In the letter, the senators underscored the United States' critical trade partnership with Mexico and Canada and highlighted how the Trump Administration's recent trade policies have weakened trust across this alliance. As a result, the offshoring of domestic manufacturing has continued, harming local economies and workers across the Midwest.

"Unfortunately, actions taken this year by the Administration have introduced chaos instead of making strides to address the structural challenges necessary to support critical industries and improve the economic security of workers across the continent," wrote the senators. "Improved domestic incentives within USMCA's framework and manufacturing incentives like the tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act have been replaced with blanket tariffs and uncertainty. Longstanding relationships with some of our most trusted partners have changed drastically with the snap of a finger."

The letter also highlighted the need to address economic and national security concerns posed by unfair Chinese trade practices, particularly in automotive manufacturing. Shortcomings in the current USMCA have allowed Chinese automakers to make investments in the North American market. These concerns were intensified after a January 2026 announcement from Canadian Prime Minister Carney paved the way for Chinese electric vehicles to enter the Canadian market at a low tariff rate.

The senators continued, "During upcoming negotiations, USTR must pursue changes that ensure foreign entities cannot utilize the agreement to circumvent new or existing trade laws. If this Administration is serious about onshoring our critical supply chains, it must prevent our adversaries from gaining preferential access to our markets."

The letter also advocates for stronger labor standards in the USMCA renegotiation. While the current agreement established a new standard of workers' rights, the senators believe the review process presents an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of those standards. They also called for labor leaders to be included in the review process to ensure the new deal adequately addresses the challenges they are facing.

"We also believe a successful agreement is only possible when our workers' unions, including the United Auto Workers (UAW), the United Steel Workers (USW), and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), have a seat at the negotiating table, allowing for full consideration of their proposals," wrote the senators. "As part of this consideration, we urge you to prioritize ways to further strengthen working conditions, ensure job security, and raise labor standards, including wage, health, safety, and environmental standards, for American workers across sectors."

Full text of the letter can be found here.

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