Pelosi bucks Obama on trade

Breaking weeks of silence, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi went to the House floor Friday to oppose legislation that would empower President Barack Obama to clinch the largest free trade agreement in history.

“We have an opportunity to slow down,” the California Democrat said. “Whatever the deal is with other countries, we want a better deal for America’s workers.”


Shortly after, a critical component of the trade package was resoundingly defeated, 126-302. The vote might well sink Obama’s entire trade agenda, a centerpiece of his second term.

Democrats overwhelmingly oppose giving the president fast-track authority to clinch the dozen-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. But there was some hope among trade proponents that Pelosi might help sway enough Democrats to vote for it to get it over the hump.

Instead, she sided with opponents ahead of a pair of critical votes. Pelosi announced she would vote against a jobs-aid bill that is intertwined with the so-called fast-track measure — and she gave other Democrats cover to join her in bucking the Democratic president.

“Its defeat is the only way we will be able to slow down fast-track,” Pelosi said.

Afterward, the minority leader sent a letter to fellow Democrats.

“We look forward to working in a bipartisan way for a trade … bill that has better transparency, more consultation with Congress and stronger protections for Congressional priorities – especially labor rights and the environment,” Pelosi wrote.

Follow @politico