Obama Trade Agenda, After Senate Fight, Faces Tougher House Odds; Wide Democratic Opposition
WASHINGTON (AP) After several near death experiences in the Senate, the trade agenda that President Barack Obama is pushing as a second term capstone faces its biggest hurdle yet in the more polarized House.
Anti-trade forces have struggled to ignite public outrage over Obama's bid to enact new free-trade agreements, but Democratic opposition in Congress remains widespread.
The outcome may turn on Republicans' willingness to hand the president a major win in his final years in office. Underscoring the difficulties, House leaders are looking at the second or third week of June to schedule a vote, even though House members return from recess on Monday.
"The business of bill passing is a messy, sausage-making process. It was in the Senate, and it certainly will be in the House," White House communications director Jen Psaki said in an interview. "There will be many moments where there will be difficult issues. We have our eyes wide open with that."
At issue is legislation that would give Obama parameters for the trade deals he negotiates but also speed up congressional review of the final agreements by giving lawmakers the right to approve or reject deals, but not change them.
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John_Doe80004
(156 posts)they they took some of the more controversial and possibly anti worker provisions out of it such as giving Malaysia a pass on human trafficking and the ISDS provision
imthevicar
(811 posts)it's better if it died a quick death!
John_Doe80004
(156 posts)there are too many greased palms and too much money riding on it not to go through, but obama should at least push to address human slavery and trafficking and it shouldn't be a complete give away of our sovereign status to international corporate interests.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Hopefully this one will be defeated