Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidGraham signals support for confirming a Supreme Court nominee this year Trump signals he will move to replace Ginsburg 'without delay' Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden MORE (Nev.) and New York Sen. Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerVideo of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral Graham signals support for confirming a Supreme Court nominee this year Pelosi orders Capitol flags at half-staff to honor Ginsburg MORE (D) are proposing a compromise to move forward on President Obama’s trade agenda, which suffered a serious setback Tuesday.

Reid and Schumer are proposing to pull language addressing currency manipulation from a customs and enforcement bill that Democrats insist must be included in a package of legislation along with fast-track authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance.

ADVERTISEMENT

In return, they want the Senate to hold a vote on stand-alone legislation cracking down on currency manipulation before moving to the larger trade package, which would include fast-track, TAA, a pared-down customs bill, and a package of trade preferences for African nations, according to a Democratic leadership aide.

Reid and Schumer floated the idea, and Schumer suggested it to Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn John CornynCalls grow for Biden to expand election map in final sprint Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Chamber of Commerce endorses McSally for reelection MORE (Texas) late Tuesday afternoon.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE (Ky.) did not respond directly to the Democratic offer in remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday morning. He urged Democrats to allow the debate on the package he and other Republicans favor, which includes only fast-track authority and TAA.

“Hardly anyone believes there is a serious policy leg for these folks to stand on,” McConnell said of Senate Democrats who blocked the start of the trade debate.

McConnell said attaching the customs and enforcement bill to the fast-track and TAA would derail those measures, but did not comment specifically on a customs bill stripped of currency manipulation language.

“The demand to merge four separate trade bills, including a customs bill into one trade bill isn’t a strategy designed to pass better trade legislation but a poison pill designed to kill it. So we certainly won’t be doing that,” he said.

Senate Democrats dealt Obama’s trade agenda a blow Tuesday when the entire caucus, with the exception of Sen. Tom Carper Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperDemocrat asks for probe of EPA's use of politically appointed lawyers Overnight Energy: Study links coronavirus mortality to air pollution exposure | Low-income, minority households pay more for utilities: report OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium MORE (Del.), voted to sustain a filibuster on the motion to begin the trade debate.

They refused to let the trade package come to the floor unless it included all four bills passed last month out of the Senate Finance Committee.

Obama met with a group of pro-trade Democrats at the White House Tuesday afternoon in an effort to secure their support. He sat down with Carper and Sens. Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Next crisis, keep people working and give them raises MORE (Colo.), Maria Cantwell Maria Elaine CantwellHillicon Valley: Zuckerberg acknowledges failure to take down Kenosha military group despite warnings | Election officials push back against concerns over mail-in voting, drop boxes Bipartisan senators call for investigation of popular fertility app The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Mike Roman says 3M on track to deliver 2 billion respirators globally and 1 billion in US by end of year; US, Pfizer agree to 100M doses of COVID-19 vaccine that will be free to Americans MORE (Wash.), Ben Cardin Benjamin (Ben) Louis CardinPPP application window closes after coronavirus talks deadlock Congress eyes tighter restrictions on next round of small business help Senate passes extension of application deadline for PPP small-business loans MORE (Md.), Heidi Heitkamp Mary (Heidi) Kathryn HeitkampCentrists, progressives rally around Harris pick for VP 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents Susan Collins set to play pivotal role in impeachment drama MORE (N.D.), Tim Kaine Timothy (Tim) Michael KaineBarrett seen as a front-runner for Trump Supreme Court pick Biden promises Democratic senators help in battleground states Second GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus MORE (Va.), Patty Murray Patricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayTrump health officials grilled over reports of politics in COVID-19 response CDC director pushes back on Caputo claim of 'resistance unit' at agency The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep MORE (Wash.), Bill Nelson Clarence (Bill) William NelsonDemocrats sound alarm on possible election chaos Trump, facing trouble in Florida, goes all in NASA names DC headquarters after agency's first Black female engineer Mary W. Jackson MORE (Fla.), Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerIntelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing l Air Force reveals it secretly built and flew new fighter jet l Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats MORE (Va.) and Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenGOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal Hillicon Valley: TikTok, Oracle seek Trump's approval as clock winds down | Hackers arrested for allegedly defacing U.S. websites after death of Iranian general | 400K people register to vote on Snapchat MORE (Ore.), the senior Democrat on the Finance panel and co-author of fast-track legislation.

Lawmakers have pushed for several years to include currency manipulation provisions in trade deals that would increase the likelihood of penalties against trading partners engaging in the practice.

Right now there’s no way to use trade rules to stop a country from lowering the value of their currency to gain a global advantage. Companies such as Ford want a mechanism that would halt the practice when it’s discovered.

The Democratic leadership aide predicted a stand-alone currency manipulation bill would pass the Senate. The House would then decide whether to attach it to the larger trade package.

“It would then be up to the House,” said the aide. “It could be a condition of what people demand to vote for the trade package.”

The White House, leery of a possible trade dispute with China, has urged lawmakers not to attach currency manipulation language to fast-track authority. Many Republicans also oppose doing so.

“What we have indicated is that we believe that there’s a better way for us to resolve concerns related to currency,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters this week.

“The concern that we have about some of the approaches that are currently being discussed on Capitol Hill is that they could be used to effectively undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve,” he added.