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Earlier this year, more than 600 business groups from across the country signed on to a led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce calling for the passage of United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the next-generation trade agreement that will ensure the continued competitiveness of the North American region. Both of our organizations enthusiastically signed on to that letter and encouraged fellow business group leaders to do the same.

A similar letter was just sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi by the Arizona District Export Council whose signers include urban and rural chambers, economic developers, industry associations, and universities. The letter contains a powerful account of the importance of trade to Arizona and a reminder of how USMCA can steady the U.S. trade environment in light of recent disruptions with China. We signed that letter, too.

In fact, we鈥檙e happy to join any effort that amplifies our work over the past year to ensure that USMCA passes Congress with a wide, bipartisan vote. We鈥檒l sign on to letters, , hold meetings鈥攜ou name it. We鈥檒l do whatever it takes to send a message loud and clear to our delegation and to the rest of Capitol Hill that passage of USMCA is a must-have action item before 2019 comes to a close.

That鈥檚 why we were in Washington, D.C. recently for the gathering of the U.S. Chamber鈥檚 Committee of 100, which assembles the leaders of the nation鈥檚 top state and metro chambers of commerce for high-level discussions on the country鈥檚 most pressing issues. Last week鈥檚 edition focused heavily on trade and USMCA.

On hand to brief our committee was United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. No governor has been more outspoken about the need to pass USMCA than Gov. Ducey.

When it came to deciding whether to inject his voice into the debate, he didn鈥檛 take much convincing. After all, more than 200,000 Arizona jobs depend on trade with Canada and Mexico. Gov. Ducey and his counterpart Gov. Claudia Pavlovich of Sonora maintain the best binational relationship of any two state executives, and he鈥檚 presided over the establishment of a reinvigorated state trade office presence in Mexico during his tenure.

In his remarks before the conference audience and the media, Gov. Ducey made a strong case for the swift adoption of the new agreement. “To say it frankly, America and Arizona鈥檚 businesses are beyond ready to ratify the USMCA,” the governor . “Trade with Mexico and Canada is vital to Arizona鈥檚 economy and it supports more than 228,000 jobs.”

The governor is so committed to USMCA鈥檚 adoption that he recently launched , a website that contains granular district-by-district information about how each area of Arizona is positively affected by trade with Canada and Mexico, along with social media tools and ways for Arizonans to contact their elected officials.

And make no mistake: USMCA isn鈥檛 just good news for border states like Arizona. We鈥檝e been encouraged that our chamber of commerce colleagues from across the country鈥攆rom the coasts to the heartland鈥攕hare our sense of urgency to get a deal done. Every state wins under USMCA. Preserving the free-trade structure that has defined the North American trinational relationship for the past quarter-century is essential for manufacturers, farmers and ranchers, and the American consumer.

The ball is in Speaker Pelosi鈥檚 court. It will be her call as to when and whether to call a vote. There are concerns within her caucus over a handful of issues like enforcement and labor provisions, but as confirmed by Ambassador Lighthizer, these are all bridgeable gaps. The speaker that she鈥檚 hopeful 鈥渨e鈥檙e on a path to yes,鈥� and Ambassador Lighthizer has been engaged in nearly round-the-clock the discussions with her office and her caucus to finalize a deal.

Arizona job creators can help that process. Visit today and lend your support to the passage of a 21^st century trade agreement that will solidify North America鈥檚 position as the globe鈥檚 most competitive region and Arizona鈥檚 as one of the country鈥檚 best places to do business.

Glenn Hamer is president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Todd Sanders is president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Chamber.