INDIANAPOLIS — Amid the fervor of the impeachment inquiry into President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence returned to Indiana on Thursday to discuss trade with neighboring countries.
Pence spoke at MacAllister Machinery, the Indianapolis headquarters of a local heavy equipment supplier.
The former Indiana governor is pushing for passage of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, or USMCA.
The USCMA would replace NAFTA as the country's top trade agreement with its nearest bordering countries, but only if congress ratifies it.
Democrats have been in negotiations over the agreement for months, but the impeachment process may delay it.
"So I want to encourage each and every one of you to go out and tell the story," Pence said. "Run into your neighbors and your friends. Stop people outside your place of worship, or outside CVS, and just say, "You know, I ran into Mike the other day at MacAllister, and he was awfully excited about this USMCA thing."
Pence did not address the ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Trump. He also did not take questions from local reporters.
Pence's speech was briefly interrupted by a protester advocating for action on climate change.
While he was discussing the economy, a woman stood up with a photo of 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Great Thunberg and a sign that read, "How Dare You."
A group called "Code Pink" has claimed responsibility for the protest. The group says the Trump administration isn't taking the climate crisis seriously.
