Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                      Key Trade Vote Expected in US Senate

   by Michael Bowman

   U.S. President Barack Obama's trade agenda could get a major boost - or
   suffer a blow - when the Senate votes in coming hours to conclude
   debate on a bill to facilitate congressional approval of an ambitious
   12-nation Pacific Rim free trade pact.

   Vote expected Thursday

   As the critical test vote loomed, top Senate advocates said they did
   not know if a three-fifths majority would materialize to advance the
   measure to final passage.

   The Senate is considering [1]Trade Promotion Authority, also known as
   "fast track," a mechanism that mandates simple congressional votes to
   approve or disapprove trade pacts. Lawmakers surrender their ability to
   amend those deals.

   "That up-or-down vote sends a strong message to our negotiating
   partners that Congress and U.S. trade negotiators are on the same page,
   which gives other countries the confidence they need to put their best
   offers on the table," said Republican Senator John Thune.  "And that,
   in turn, allows the United States to secure trade deals favorable to
   U.S. workers and businesses, and open new markets to products marked
   `Made in the USA.'"

   Thune represents the farming-rich state of South Dakota.  He says his
   constituents stand to benefit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership that
   would be "fast-tracked" under TPA.

   "Currently American agricultural products face heavy tariffs in many
   Trans-Pacific Partnership countries.  Reducing the barriers that
   American agricultural products face in these countries would have
   enormous benefits for American farmers and ranchers," said Thune.

   TPA has the White House's firm backing, but sharply divides lawmakers
   of the president's Democratic Party.

   Republican support, some Democratic opposition

   The Senate launched debate on TPA last week and is racing to conclude
   work on the bill before next week's scheduled recess.  TPA has
   overwhelming Republican support and the backing of a handful of
   pro-trade Democrats - a coalition that had been expected to propel the
   bill to final passage.

   Some Democratic backers, however, have added a new demand.  They want
   assurances the Senate will act to renew a U.S. export credit agency,
   the Export-Import Bank, whose charter is expiring.

   The bank faces opposition from many Republicans, who see it as a form
   if international corporate welfare.

   If pro-trade Democrats press their demand, TPA could fall just short of
   the 60 votes needed to advance to a final vote.

   Loss of American jobs feared

   Meanwhile, other Democrats continue to speak out against "fast
   tracking" trade pacts, given the spotty record of previous deals on
   American jobs.

   "Here we are considering trade legislation that does nothing, not a
   single thing, to help middle class Americans.  In fact, it causes huge
   job losses," said Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid.  "We can look
   at these trade bills over the years.  Every one of them caused job
   losses to American workers, millions of job losses.  But yet they
   [trade backers] are going to try the same thing again and hope for a
   different result. That's insanity," he said.

   Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled floor debate on
   TPA ahead of time-sensitive votes on domestic surveillance and U.S.
   highway funding, even though there is no specific deadline for
   approving "fast track."

   Trade bill backers want to vote now

   Analysts say trade backers are in a hurry because they want the
   Trans-Pacific Partnership approved before next year's White House
   contest heats up.  Delay, it is feared, could cause a major trade deal
   to become a lightning rod for election-year rhetoric.

   "They want to finish this," said Claude Barfield of the pro-trade
   American Enterprise Institute. "The conventional wisdom is, if you get
   too far into 2016, then trade goes off the playing field.  So there is
   no time to lose."

   Should it pass the Senate, TPA would need to be approved by the House
   of Representatives before President Obama could sign it into law.  The
   bill grants "fast track" powers for a six-year period, meaning the
   president's successor would also have use of the tool.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/key-trade-vote-expected-in-us-senate/
   2780774.html

References

   1. https://ustr.gov/trade-topics/trade-promotion-authority
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/key-trade-vote-expected-in-us-senate/2780774.html