United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer notified Congress yesterday that President Donald Trump intends to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In the letter to Congress, Lighthizer expresses the Trump administration’s commitment to concluding the negotiations with timely and substantive results for US consumers, businesses, farmers, ranchers, and workers. He said the US seeks to support higher-paying jobs in the United States and to grow the economy by improving US opportunities to trade with Canada and Mexico. These goals will be pursued consistent with US priorities and the negotiating objectives established by Congress in the Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA). Negotiations will begin no earlier than August 16, 2017.

“Today, President Trump fulfilled one of his key promises to the American people,” said Lighthizer. “For years, politicians have called for the renegotiation of this agreement, but President Trump is the first to follow through with that promise. USTR will now continue consultations with Congress and American stakeholders to create an agreement that advances the interests of America’s workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses.”

USTR will publish a notice in the Federal Register requesting public input on the direction, focus, and content of the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

Trump announced his intention to engage in negotiations related to NAFTA on February 2, 2017. Since then, USTR has begun consultations with committees of jurisdiction in Congress and advisory committees, as outlined by the TPA.