THE PRESIDENT: Well, we're doing very well on the trade. And, as you know, the USMCA is coming along well. I think that, hopefully, it's going to get approved quickly. Everybody wants it. It's in Congress right now. It's in the House. And they're reviewing it.
But everybody seems to want it. I think that's very - I think that'll be a very bipartisan bill. It's very much needed for the farmers, manufacturers. The unions like it. Everybody likes it. It's something that was very important, and it's - as you know, Canada is totally in line, and Mexico is totally in line.
And now it's up to us to get it passed. And it's going to have a tremendous impact, I think, on - somebody was saying over $100 billion. Very - a lot of money and a lot of jobs, and, really, a lot of - it's going to be - it's going to make life a lot more transparent, in a certain way, which is a positive. But everybody wants it, and hopefully they can act quickly, because we can have that done very, very fast if we can get support from, really, the Democrats in Congress - Nancy Pelosi. They have to put the bill forward. People want it to happen. Let's see what happens.
We're also joined by Secretary Alex Acosta. And, Alex, thank you for the great job you're doing. You're really doing a terrific job -
SECRETARY ACOSTA: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: - over at Labor. Thank you very much.
Through our Pledge of America's Workers, and to America's workers, my administration has partnered with governors, many of whom are in the room. And you folks have been among the most active there are, and I appreciate it very much. And we all appreciate it very much, because it's been incredible. And businesses to provide more than 9 million new jobs, and it's going to be over 10 million in a very short period of time. These are workforce development opportunities for the American worker.
We've made historic increases to childcare, block grants that go to states to help families access quality childcare. Due to our booming economy, a record number of Americans are rejoining the workforce, including former inmates and those recovering from opioid addiction. And the inmates - it's a very special situation. It's never taken place like this. Because the economy is doing so well, you're doing great in your states, but the country is doing so well. It's not so easy to get people - and good people. And they're giving inmates and people just getting out of prison, they're giving them a chance.
And I have to tell you, the receptivity has been incredible. They're doing really well. Never happened before. They had that stigma. And the stigma was making it very, very hard for them to get jobs. And numerous employers have told me it's - it's incredible. They wish they did it a long time ago. They're having tremendous success with the whole program.
Call them prisoners, call them inmates, call them whatever you want to call them, they're really working out well. And people are very happy. Their employers are very happy.
So due to our booming economy, that's happening. And we're also helping a lot with the opioid addiction. We had a meeting yesterday that some of the media was at. And in some areas we're down 17, 18 percent with the opioid. And in some areas, we're down even more than that. It's been incredible. We're putting a lot of pressure on doctors. We're putting a lot of - a lot of pressure on different groups. And even education. But we're down, in some cases, more than - and substantially more than 17 percent in a period of one year. So that was a tremendous meeting we had yesterday.
To open up even more jobs for our citizens, we're working with states to address the burdensome and excessive occupational licensing laws, which really are very burdensome. Would you say, Alex?
SECRETARY ACOSTA: Very burdensome. It's hurting our economy.
THE PRESIDENT: A big problem.
Yeah. What are you doing about it?
SECRETARY ACOSTA: So we're actually working with several of the governors around the table. Governor Reynolds just recently passed reform for military spouses so that they will now receive provisional licenses while they're in her state.
Governor Ducey has passed aggressive legislation - and you just signed it, what, two months ago?
GOVERNOR DUCEY: Yes.
SECRETARY ACOSTA: In essence, you know, almost taking - rolling back licensing requirements so that individuals can come to Arizona. Governor Wolf is working on this. We're working with just about all the governors.
The Federal Reserve Bank studies show that this is costing us upwards of 1.5 million jobs a year.
THE PRESIDENT: Incredible. Okay. But you're going to solve the problem? Huh? (Laughter.)
SECRETARY ACOSTA: We're working with the governors. This is the status.
THE PRESIDENT: You make it easy for them, okay?
Over the past 50 years, occupational licensing regulations have nearly tripled, keeping workers out of really good-paying jobs. And, for the most part, I guess, the states would be handling it. But you do need reference to the federal government. So you'll take care of it. And anything we can do, we're going to make it very easy for you to go very quickly.
In many states, workers must pay thousands of dollars and complete months - and years, even - of training to enter fields such as real estate, tourism, and many others.
For example - this surprised me - nationally, the average training for cosmetologists is 11 times longer than the training for emergency medical technicians, and sometimes training costs $20,000 for a cosmetology license. So it takes a tremendous amount of time. And we have great respect for cosmetologists, but there's something probably a little bit wrong with that.
Burdensome licensing laws especially hurt military spouses, who may be required to become re-certified each time they move - and they're constantly moving. It's amazing when I meet with military families; it's one of the big things. They move. They're incredible, they're incredible workers, but they're there for two years, or three years, or less. And it's a bit of a problem.
These regulations also harm low-income families who can't afford the time and money needed to get into these fields.
Earlier this year, a gentleman named Governor Doug Ducey, my friend, signed a law into existence - "universal licensing recognition," which accepts occupational licenses granted in many states. I applaud Governor Ducey, and I always have. He's doing a fantastic job -
GOVERNOR DUCEY: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: - in a fabulous state.
GOVERNOR DUCEY: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Arizona is doing - you're doing good - for pioneering the change, and we hope that other states are going to follow Arizona's lead. And you really have been at the forefront. And we appreciate - really appreciate that. Especially there.
GOVERNOR DUCEY: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Say a couple of words about that, Doug
GOVERNOR DUCEY: Sure. Well, first of all, I want to say thank you, Mr. President, for your focus on licensing laws and the regulations that get in the way of this. We've really been focused on licensing reform in the state of Arizona. We want to make the state a place of opportunity for all.
We began with military spouses - training. Military spouses would often be in a position where they couldn't enter the workforce because their license wasn't recognized.
We had great success with that and we wanted to expand it. So we moved on to what we call "universal recognition" of occupational licensing.
Not only is our economy booming right now, but our state is growing. We've got people coming from all over the country. And they don't lose their skills when they pack up a U-Haul truck and come to Arizona.
So we're going to recognize that license inside of the state. And this is really for the little guy, the working man, the person that comes to town or to our state; they want to earn a living and they want to get to work. And we believe it's a good reform.
We think it blows quite a hole in the mega-regulatory state that is there, while continuing to protect public health and public safety. And just like I learn from many of the ladies and gentlemen around the table here, governors take good ideas and reapply them. Everyone here is welcome to take this idea and reapply it in your state.
THE PRESIDENT: That's been great. Yeah. We appreciate it. Thank you very much.
And I think your border is looking a lot better. They're saying, over the last four or five days, there's been a real diminution, a real lowering of people running across, coming across, needing to be apprehended. What Border Security has been doing has been incredible. They're apprehending.
