Congressional Deadline for NAFTA Deal Passes

According to US Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer,countries involved in the talks are “nowhere near close to a deal.”  And this is a (potentially) big problem.  The New York Times reports that to get “an agreement approved by the current, Republican-controlled Congress, Speaker Paul D. Ryan set a May 17 cutoff for the White House to notify Congress of an impending deal. As that deadline came and went on Thursday, Canada, Mexico and the United States remained at odds over significant portions of the sprawling 24-year-old agreement.”  More info here and here.