Overview
- Representatives Jodey Arrington and Henry Cuéllar introduced a bipartisan proposal that would compel formal enforcement steps over Mexico’s treatment of state firms Pemex and CFE.
- The bill instructs the USTR to request a Chapter 31 dispute panel or leverage the July 1, 2026 joint review of the treaty, with a 90‑day deadline to report actions to Congress.
- Major U.S. industry groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute, back tougher enforcement and call for stronger investor protections such as ISDS and state-to-state dispute tools.
- Mexican officials reject accusations of discrimination, with Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard saying energy and judicial reforms are not on the formal negotiation agenda and Energy Secretary Luz Elena González asserting compliance with T-MEC.
- The push builds on consultations launched in 2022 that never advanced to a panel, as trilateral consultations continue toward the treaty’s first joint review in 2026.