Sessions: ‘This Proposal Will Widen Further Our Trade Deficits and Eliminate Jobs’

Breitbart ^ | May 22, 2015 | Breitbart News

[logi_cal869]

Sadly, there are those here that will call this ‘free trade’ and a good thing for the US...

[cld51860]

If it further weakens the United States, our emperor will do it.

[CitizenUSA]

kaehurowing: "How can a bill with only 62 votes override a constitutional provision that says treaties must be approved by at least 67 votes?"

That's what I don't understand. Congress can't change constitutional provisions. They'd have to pass an amendment.

Article II, Section II, Clause 2 reads, "[The President] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur..."

62 is not 2/3rds. Not only that, but Congress cannot delegate its treaty powers away even with a 2/3rds vote. They couldn't, for example, preemptively concur with future treaties not yet negotiated. That would let the present Congress steal a constitutionally granted power from a future Congress.

As I read it, no treaty can be passed until such time it passes a 2/3rd vote.