House approves trade bill

Susan Davis | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved, 286-138, a trade adjustment assistance bill, sending to President Obama's desk legislation to assist displaced American workers.

Its passage puts a temporary reprieve on the divisive trade debate in Congress that will begin again later this year if the president, as planned, submits the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to Congress for passage.

TPP is a long-stalled 12-nation trade pact with Asia-Pacific nations that Obama wants to finalize before he leaves office.

Friday's vote was the last act in a lengthy trade debate that began months ago and ended this week with passage of a six-year renewal of trade promotion authority (TPA), which renews "fast track" authority to expedite passage of trade bills in Congress, and trade adjustment assistance.

An initial vote on TAA earlier this month failed after Democrats, who support the assistance program, voted it down anyway in an effort to extract more concessions over fast track, which they oppose. The bills were linked together as companion measures.

The maneuver failed after the White House and GOP leaders devised a new legislative gambit to get both bills to the president's desk by separating them. Fast track was approved Thursday, leaving Democrats no choice but to vote for adjustment assistance or risk letting the program expire on Sept. 30.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Thursday that Democrats would continue to work for enhanced protections for American workers.

"The fight will continue. The phase is over, but the fight is not," she said.

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