'Fast track' trade bill clears key Senate hurdle

Susan Davis | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Obama's embattled trade agenda received new life Tuesday as the U.S. Senate advanced a key part of a legislative package in a necessary procedural vote.

The Senate narrowly reached the supermajority needed, voting 60 to 37 to start the clock on a series of votes this week aimed at getting a group of trade bills to Obama's desk before the July 4 recess begins next week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, along with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, are pushing a two-pronged strategy for a package of bills critical to Obama's trade agenda.

"Speaker Boehner is clearly committed to building trust across the aisle on this issue, and I am as well," McConnell said Tuesday prior to the vote that paved the way for a Wednesday final passage vote on trade promotion authority (TPA).

TPA, commonly known as "fast track" because it creates an expedited process to get trade bills through Congress, already passed the Senate last month as part of a legislative package that also included trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which helps displaced American workers.

The package hit a dead end in the U.S. House, where Democrats rebelled against the White House and voted down TAA, which they support, in a move aimed at slowing down fast track, which they oppose.

GOP leaders, in conjunction with the president, devised a new legislative strategy that would pass fast track first, then the renewal of adjustment assistance, which is set to expire on Sept. 30, to build pressure on House Democrats. Republicans generally oppose TAA but from the beginning of trade negotiations it was deemed necessary to get enough Democrats on board for fast track.

If TPA passes Wednesday, it will set up a Thursday vote on TAA.. The House approved fast track as a standalone last week, and is waiting on the Senate to act on the trade adjustment assistance bill.

McConnell and Boehner have also pledged swift action on another trade-related measure, a customs enforcement bill, which must be further negotiated between the House and Senate.

"Today is a very big vote. It's an important moment for the country," McConnell said, "It sets in motion the completion of a project we set out on literally months ago."

The majority of congressional Democrats, bolstered by trade unions, oppose Obama's trade agenda. Senate Democrats took issue Tuesday with assertions that upcoming trade pacts will be good for the U.S. economy.

"This agreement was opposed by every union in this country, working for the best interests of working families by almost every environmental group and many religious groups," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a candidate for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. "It's a great day for the big money interests, it is not a great day for working families."

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