Obama’s Fast Tracked Trade Bill Clears Key Senate Hurdle

President Barack Obama speaks in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Thursday, April 16, 2015, during a Champions of Change event highlighting issues imp... President Barack Obama speaks in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Thursday, April 16, 2015, during a Champions of Change event highlighting issues important to working families. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) MORE LESS
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s trade agenda has cleared a key Senate hurdle to move toward a final vote.

The Senate has topped the 60 votes needed to begin substantive action on Obama’s bid for “fast track” negotiating authority. The vote was 62-38.

Obama says fast track authority will improve prospects for a trade treaty with 11 other Pacific-rim nations.

Labor unions and other groups vital to Democrats strongly oppose Obama’s trade agenda. They say free-trade dealscost U.S. jobs.

Obama says U.S. producers need broader access to foreign markets.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Notable Replies

  1. I look forward to seeing the bill when it is finalized to see if it is actually going to kill america.

  2. Labor unions and other groups vital to Democrats strongly oppose Obama’s trade agenda. They say free-trade deals cost U.S. jobs.

    http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/000/554/facepalm.jpg

    There are many reasons to be skeptical of this deal. “Kills U.S. jobs” is not one of them! We on the left really need to get past this stupid talking point.

  3. Exactly correct.

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