June 4, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 93 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H4297]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONDEMNING U.S. TARIFFS ON MEXICO

  (Ms. GARCIA of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to vigorously condemn 
the administration's threats to impose damaging tariffs on imports from 
Mexico. The proposal underlines a serious misunderstanding of how our 
economy benefits from trade with Mexico.
  Here are the facts. Mexico is the United States' largest trading 
partner in the world. In Texas alone, Laredo and El Paso saw $55.8 
billion and $18.6 billion in trade passing through their borders last 
year.
  Every product from Mexico will be taxed higher by the White House, 
forcing us to pay more for household goods we buy every day. It is not 
just the avocados we use for guacamole or the tequilas we use for 
margaritas, not that I drink any of them. It will be everything, autos, 
computers, and machine goods.
  Some estimate that even a 5 percent general tariff could eliminate 
more than 400,000 U.S. jobs. This would be catastrophic to my State and 
other States on the border.
  The White House clearly does not understand the special economic 
relationship between Texas and Mexico and has shown that it is willing 
to throw away our economy for bravado and bullying.

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